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Abbas Calls for Int’l Peace Conference 'As Soon As Possible'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Wafa)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Wafa)
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Abbas Calls for Int’l Peace Conference 'As Soon As Possible'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Wafa)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Wafa)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced his readiness to revive the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, based on a two-state solution, calling for holding an international peace conference as soon as possible.

During a meeting of Fatah’s Central Committee in Ramallah, Abbas underlined the importance of benefiting from the international support which upholds an international peace conference to resolve the Palestinian issue, based on the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.

He welcomed the call of the international quartet including the US, Russia, the EU, and the UN, on reviving “meaningful negotiations” between the Palestinians and the Israelis with the aim of achieving a two-state solution.

He called for the necessity of pressuring the Israeli government to stop its unilateral measures aimed at imposing a fait accompli policy.

An international peace conference was held within the framework of the plan launched by Abbas in response to the “deal of the century” announced by former US President Donald Trump. Abbas's plan did not receive the needed support due to Trump's opposition.

The Palestinian Authority depends now on a change with the arrival of US President Joe Biden, hoping he would be able to restore relations and advance a new peace process in the region.

The Palestinians expect Biden to support an international peace conference, but they want to restore relations with the US after they were cut off with the former administration.

Under the Trump administration, the US cut all ties with the Authority, suspended aid, closed the Palestinian Liberation Office (PLO) in Washington, and expelled the Palestinian representative after the leadership rejected Trump's “deal of the century.”

The Palestinians are waiting for the US administration to fulfill its pledges to reopen its consulate in East Jerusalem, reopen the PLO office in Washington, and fully resume aid.

Washington recently transferred $15 million to help the Authority fight the third wave of the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh described it as “an important step” in the right direction to reshape the relationship with the US administration.

The US will resume diplomatic ties with Palestinians that were cut under the Trump administration, the US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council.

"Since January, our diplomatic engagement has been guided by the premise that sustainable progress toward peace must be based on active consultations with both sides," Thomas-Greenfield said.

The envoy said that the US has "recommitted to the vision of a mutually agreed two-state solution, one in which Israel lives in peace and security alongside a viable Palestinian state,” announcing the $15 million in humanitarian aid for the West Bank and Gaza.

If the Biden administration wants to resume aid more broadly, it must deal with the Taylor Force Act, which was passed by the Congress in 2018.

Taylor Force Act bans Washington from sending aid that directly benefits the Authority as long as it continues to send salaries to the families of Palestinians detained by Israelis.

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Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
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Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)

Lebanon’s government addressed the contentious issue of Hezbollah’s weapons
and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 with no concrete decisions made during the recent cabinet discussions.
Government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Lebanese Forces bloc demanded that timeline for the disarmament of Hezbollah be set, but there was no response to their demand. Other ministers argued that the matter of exclusive state control over weapons is already addressed in the government's ministerial statement.

Moreover, and in a gesture underscoring its commitment to international cooperation, the government approved the extension of the mandate for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), highlighting Lebanon’s “keenness on partnership with the international community to maintain stability.”
It also reported 2,740 Israeli violations since the ceasefire agreement was put in place.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, government sources said that President Joseph Aoun has vowed to discuss the matter of setting a timeline to disarm Hezbollah with the relevant parties, and will report the outcome of his consultations back to the cabinet.

Following the cabinet session, Information Minister Paul Morcos reaffirmed the government's commitment to asserting state authority over all Lebanese territory. He underscored the need to bolster the Lebanese Army amid growing security challenges—particularly in the south, where the army continues to carry out its duties despite repeated Israeli aggressions.

The Minister stated that Army Commander General Rodolph Haikal delivered a security briefing during the meeting, outlining ongoing operations and the army's position. Haikal stressed Lebanon’s full commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, in contrast to Israel’s repeated violations, which, he said, hinder the army’s deployment and the extension of state authority in the region.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for the Lebanese Army’s deployment south of the Litani River and the removal of all unauthorized armed groups.

Despite limited resources, Morcos noted, the army “continues to fulfill its duties under difficult conditions”.
Industry Minister, Joe Issa el-Khoury, said after the cabinet meeting at Baabda Palace that ministers of the Lebanese Forces bloc raised the issue of setting a six-month timeline for the handover of all illegal weapons—both Lebanese and non-Lebanese. They proposed beginning the process with the Palestinian refugee camps.
Morco also announced that the Cabinet approved the extension of the UNIFIL mandate in southern Lebanon, stressing the Lebanese state’s commitment to its partnership with the international community in preserving stability.

For his part, President Aoun, at the onset of the session, described his meeting with Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Tamim Al-Thani, in Doha as “fruitful and excellent,” revealing that a Qatari delegation may visit Lebanon next week to discuss the electricity file.
Aoun also thanked the Intelligence Directorate and General Security for arresting members of a cell involved in rocket launches from southern Lebanon. He expressed hope that the cell recently dismantled in Jordan—whose members admitted to receiving training in Lebanon—will be fully unraveled.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, for his part, spoke about his recent visit to Syria. He said four major issues were discussed: securing and eventually demarcating the Lebanese-Syrian border, the case of Lebanese detainees who disappeared in Syria, Lebanese nationals wanted by authorities who are currently in Syria, and the issue of Syrian prisoners held in Lebanon.
Salam underscored that some of the most pressing matters discussed was the return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland, and the need to lift sanctions on Syria in order to facilitate this process.
The visit also included an official request for information related to the Beirut port explosion.