Abul Gheit: Palestinian Cause Remaining Unsolved Has Led to Regional Instability

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit | Photo: Reuters
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit | Photo: Reuters
TT
20

Abul Gheit: Palestinian Cause Remaining Unsolved Has Led to Regional Instability

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit | Photo: Reuters
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit | Photo: Reuters

Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Abul Gheit has underpinned that as long as the Palestinian cause remains unsolved, instability will remain in the Middle East and the Arab region.

The continuity of the Israeli occupation to the Palestinian lands has led to mounting rage among Arabs, impacting the stability, security, economic growth, and joint action, he added.

Abul Gheit continued that the Arab region needs economic and social reforms to fulfill the ambitions of the youth, who represent more than 60 percent of the population.

A source from the AL said that these statements were made on the sidelines of the two-day conference 'Roma MED – Dialoghi mediterranei' (Mediterranean Dialogues) on Friday.

The conference, hosted by Rome annually, is seen as a key platform to discuss the region’s issues and possible ways to tackle them. A number of leaders and foreign ministers take part in the conference.

Abul Gheit was keen during his intervention to shed light on the huge movements in the Arab world, especially in Iraq and Lebanon, the source added, saying that they represent the people’s rejection of failure in fulfilling economic aspirations and their refusal to regional intervention from non-Arab parties.

The Secretary-General affirmed that the region suffered from strategic void for several reasons including the inconstancy of the US administration and the rising international rivalries, which encouraged terrorist groups and regional parties to seek to fill this void.

The only project that deserves support, he continued, is that of "a national state that rejects sectarianism and terrorism and is based on good governance."



Hamas Rejects Trump Remarks on Gaza Talks Breakdown

Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)
Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)
TT
20

Hamas Rejects Trump Remarks on Gaza Talks Breakdown

Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)
Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)

Hamas officials expressed surprise on Saturday at US President Donald Trump's accusation that the group "didn't really want" a ceasefire and hostage release deal for Gaza.

Trump made the allegation of Friday a day after Israel and the United States quit indirect negotiations with Hamas in Qatar that had lasted nearly three weeks.

"Trump's remarks are particularly surprising, especially as they come at a time when progress had been made on some of the negotiation files," Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP.

"So far, we have not been informed of any issues regarding the files under discussion in the indirect ceasefire negotiations", he added

Nunu, who is close to Hamas's most senior political officials, said he was "surprised" that Israel and the United States had left the talks.

Announcing the recall of US mediators on Thursday, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff accused Hamas of not "acting in good faith".

Though not part of the Hamas negotiating team, Hamas politburo member Izzat al-Rishq insisted the group had shown "flexibility" in the talks.

"The American statements deliberately ignore the real obstructionist to all agreements, Netanyahu's government, which continues to put obstacles, deceive and evade commitments," he said.

Both Hamas officials called on the United States to be more even-handed in its role as mediator in the quest for a ceasefire after more than 21 months of fighting.

"We call for an end to the US bias in favour of Netanyahu, who is obstructing any agreement", Nunu said.