عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Palestinian Leadership: Arab Initiative Best Route to Peace With Israel

Member of Fatah’s Central Committee Azzam Al-Ahmad | Mohammed Talatene/Apaimages
Member of Fatah’s Central Committee Azzam Al-Ahmad | Mohammed Talatene/Apaimages
TT
TT

Palestinian Leadership: Arab Initiative Best Route to Peace With Israel

Member of Fatah’s Central Committee Azzam Al-Ahmad | Mohammed Talatene/Apaimages
Member of Fatah’s Central Committee Azzam Al-Ahmad | Mohammed Talatene/Apaimages

Azzam el-Ahmad, a member of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah central committee, welcomed on Thursday the Saudi position on peace with Israel on the basis of the longstanding Arab Peace Initiative.

“The Saudi position is important because it adheres to Arab consensus, the Arab Peace Initiative, and plays a central role in the region,” Ahmad said.

On Wednesday, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the Kingdom remains committed to peace with Israel on the basis of the longstanding Arab Peace Initiative, in the first official comment since the United Arab Emirates agreed to normalize relations with Israel.

"The Kingdom considers any Israeli unilateral measures to annex Palestinian land as undermining the two-state solution," the Saudi Minister said in an event in Berlin on Wednesday, in comments reported on Saudi's foreign affairs ministry Twitter page.

Ahmad said the Saudi position confirms that the Kingdom would not normalize its relationship with Israel because it is a central state at the Arab, regional, and international levels.

Israel and the UAE reached a historic deal last week that will establish diplomatic ties, becoming the third Arab country to recognize Israel after Jordan and Egypt.

For his part, Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said that “abiding by the Arab Peace Initiative (API) is the real test for Arab states’ positions on Jerusalem and a test for the seriousness of the Arab joint action.”

He added that the Palestinian people’s firm position against the US-touted Mideast plan, dubbed deal of the century, as well as against Israel’s illegal annexation move and Arab-Israeli normalization that comes for free has thwarted all colonial schemes against Palestine.

Abu Rudeineh pointed out that the Palestinian people’s unified stance in support of the recent Palestinian leadership led by President Mahmoud Abbas is “the optimal response to all conspiracies and steps that breach the Arab consensus” as well as to Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks on eliminating Palestinian veto on Arab-Israeli peace.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Iraq Urges Trump to Strengthen Security Coordination

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)
TT
TT

Iraq Urges Trump to Strengthen Security Coordination

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani congratulated US President Donald Trump on returning to the White House, while the Shiite-led Coordination Framework ignored the occasion.

Instead, Coordination Framework officials focused on calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and domestic issues.

In his message on Tuesday, al-Sudani’s gesture seemed to clear the way for Iraq to move past the arrest warrant issued for Trump in 2021 over the 2020 killings of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

The Iraqi judiciary stated at the time that the arrest warrant was based on Article 406 of the Iraqi Penal Code and that investigations into other individuals involved, whether Iraqi or foreign, would continue.

This week, Iraqi activists shared an image of the judicial decision, sparking debate on social media about the fate of the arrest warrant now that Trump has returned to the US presidency.

Some argued that the warrant would remain a point of embarrassment for those who pushed for its issuance.

Nevertheless, Sudani congratulated Trump, expressing Iraq's interest in strengthening ties with the US through the Strategic Framework Agreement, focusing on mutual interests.

He emphasized the importance of promoting regional and global stability, security, and development.

Sudani reiterated Iraq’s commitment to its strategic relationship with the US and expanding cooperation in security, economics, culture, technology, investment, and sustainable development, while respecting sovereignty and avoiding interference in domestic affairs.

President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid also congratulated Trump on his re-election, affirming Iraq’s support for security and stability in the region and the world, and for enhancing bilateral relations to benefit both nations.

In contrast, the Coordination Framework refrained from mentioning Trump in its statement following a meeting held in Baghdad on Monday night into Tuesday, coinciding with the inauguration ceremony in Washington.

Instead, the coalition congratulated the Palestinian people on the Gaza ceasefire and urged the international community to ramp up efforts to rebuild war-torn areas, assist displaced people, and address the destruction of infrastructure, particularly hospitals and schools.

The Coordination Framework also highlighted consensus among the Iraqi parliament’s leadership, calling for support for provincial governors in fulfilling their duties.

While praising the government's successful foreign visits, Coordination Framework officials emphasized the importance of maintaining Iraq’s balanced foreign policy.