Abbas Discusses Framework for Sponsoring Political Process

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Abbas Discusses Framework for Sponsoring Political Process

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is seeking an international framework based on a multilateral mechanism, in an attempt to break the US monopoly over peace negotiations, a Palestinian source close to the matter said.

The source told Asharq al-Awsat that the talk is about an international framework comprising five or seven countries that is at the heart of a political process with the Palestinians and Israelis, similar to the "5 + 1" group that established the Iranian nuclear agreement.

The source said that President Abbas discussed this matter with EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Tuesday.

"Among the suggestions was the addition of other states along with the quartet, to be able to manage a new political process," the source added.

The current quartet is composed of the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations. Abbas wants to add other countries to start a political process based on "5 + 2" or "7 + 2".

Several sources indicated that Abbas wants to involve large countries such as China, Norway and Arab countries, in a "multilateral framework", including the current international quartet.

On several occasions, the Palestinian president said he would no longer accept the United States as a mediator of the political process, following President Donald Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) central council rejected Trump's decision, saying the US lost its eligibility to sponsor the peace process.

Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Maliki, said EU Commission foreign ministers did not object to the Palestinian position on the refusal to deny Washington's monopoly of the political process.

"This position was clearly understood and it was evident from their discussion about further sponsorship of the negotiations," said Maliki, who attended the meetings alongside Abbas. He added that President Abbas told them that US sponsorship of the political process is over and has become part of the past.

In a joint press conference with European High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini, Abbas suggested that EU play a central role in the Middle East peace process.

But it seems that the Palestinians' plan is still difficult to achieve, because the US is not concerned and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared on several occasions that Tel Aviv will only accept US as a broker for peace.Washington says that despite Palestinian positions, it hopes to establish its peace plan this year.

"The US administration hopes that a comprehensive peace plan will be presented this year," a senior White House official said, adding that no country in the world believes that Washington should not be the mediator between the parties of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"The US belief is that the Palestinians are confident of that, too," stated the official.

Speaking at the ambassadors conference, which coincided with US Vice President Mike Pence's arrival for his three-day trip to Israel, Netanyahu said Sunday: “On peace, I have a message for Abu Mazen: There is no alternative for American leadership in the diplomatic process. Whoever is not ready to talk with the Americans about peace, does not want peace.”

The Palestinian approach to partially involving the United States in a political process, comes amid growing public anger at Washington administration's stances.

While Palestinian officials attacked Pence's speech at the Israeli Knesset, describing him as biased and representing a "crusade," Palestinian citizens protested and held a strike condemning Trump's decision and Pence's visit.

Palestinians closed their shops, schools, universities, bakeries and banks and unions stopped the public transportation.

Fatah movement's spokesman and member of its Revolutionary Council Osama al-Qawasmi said the strike reflected a strong rejection of Trump's decision and the visit of his deputy.

Palestinians demonstrated at the northern entrance of al-Bireh and threw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli occupation forces. The Israeli occupation forces responded by firing bullets, and gas and sound bombs, injuring four citizens.

In Nablus, Israeli army shot and wounded two Palestinians near the Zaatara checkpoint south of the city, accusing them of attempting to carry out a stabbing operation.

Palestinian Red Crescent announced that the Israeli occupation forces refused to allow them to reach the wounded.

An army spokesman accused the two persons of attempting to stab the soldiers, saying medical staff gave them first aid before transferring them to the Bellinson Hospital in Petah Tikva in Israel.



Trump, Netanyahu Meet Again as Gaps Said to Narrow in Gaza Ceasefire Talks

07 July 2025, US, Washington: US President Donald Trump receives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak privately in the Vermeil Room before a dinner at the White House. (Daniel Torok/White House/dpa)
07 July 2025, US, Washington: US President Donald Trump receives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak privately in the Vermeil Room before a dinner at the White House. (Daniel Torok/White House/dpa)
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Trump, Netanyahu Meet Again as Gaps Said to Narrow in Gaza Ceasefire Talks

07 July 2025, US, Washington: US President Donald Trump receives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak privately in the Vermeil Room before a dinner at the White House. (Daniel Torok/White House/dpa)
07 July 2025, US, Washington: US President Donald Trump receives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak privately in the Vermeil Room before a dinner at the White House. (Daniel Torok/White House/dpa)

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday met for a second time in two days with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Gaza as Trump's Middle East envoy said Israel and Hamas were closing their differences on a ceasefire deal.

Netanyahu arrived at the White House shortly before 5 p.m. EDT for a meeting that was not expected to be open to the press. The two men met for several hours during a dinner at the White House on Monday during the Israeli leader's third US visit since the president began his second term on January 20.

Netanyahu met with Vice President JD Vance and then visited the US Capitol on Tuesday. He told reporters after a meeting with the Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson that while he did not think Israel's campaign in the Palestinian enclave was done, negotiators are "certainly working" on a ceasefire.

"We have still to finish the job in Gaza, release all our hostages, eliminate and destroy Hamas' military and government capabilities," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu's return to the White House to see Trump on Tuesday pushed back his meeting with US Senate leaders to Wednesday.

Shortly after Netanyahu spoke, Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said the issues keeping Israel and Hamas from agreeing had dropped to one from four and he hoped to reach a temporary ceasefire agreement this week.

"We are hopeful that by the end of this week, we'll have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire. Ten live hostages will be released. Nine deceased will be released," Witkoff told reporters at a meeting of Trump's Cabinet.

The Gaza war erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Some 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive.

Israel's retaliatory war in Gaza has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave's health ministry. Most of Gaza's population has been displaced by the war and nearly half a million people are facing famine within months, according to United Nations estimates.

Trump had strongly supported Netanyahu, even wading into domestic Israeli politics by criticizing prosecutors over a corruption trial against the Israeli leader on bribery, fraud and breach-of-trust charges that Netanyahu denies.

In his remarks to reporters at the US Congress, Netanyahu praised Trump, saying there has never been closer coordination between the US and Israel in his country's history.