Egyptian FM Visits Amman, Ramallah to Ensure Ceasefire in Gaza

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry speaks at a press conference in Ramallah (AFP)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry speaks at a press conference in Ramallah (AFP)
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Egyptian FM Visits Amman, Ramallah to Ensure Ceasefire in Gaza

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry speaks at a press conference in Ramallah (AFP)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry speaks at a press conference in Ramallah (AFP)

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry arrived Monday in Ramallah where he met with President Mahmoud Abbas and discussed the recent developments and the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said the visit comes within the framework of continuing efforts to ensure the ceasefire holds and rebuild Gaza after the recent Israeli airstrikes.

Shoukry called for serious negotiations that lead to a “comprehensive and just peace” which will guarantee the two-state solution and restore peace and stability.

He also stressed the importance of stopping all forms of escalations, which hinder efforts to bring about peace, especially in East Jerusalem

Abbas praised the Egyptian efforts to stop the aggression against the Palestinian people, praising Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi's initiative to provide $500 million for the reconstruction of the devastated Gaza Strip.

Shoukry’s visit to Ramallah came hours after he discussed the recent developments and reviving the peace process with his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi, in Amman.

In a joint press conference, the two ministers affirmed the need to join efforts to maintain the ceasefire, end all Israeli violations, and find the necessary political means to support Palestinians and meet their legitimate rights.

Safadi and Shoukry called for an effective international position to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which began last Friday.

The Jordanian FM noted that the priority is to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire and cessation of Israeli aggression against Gaza.

He warned that enforcing a siege on the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood would refuel tensions, considering the Israeli displacement of Palestinians from the neighborhood a “war crime” that should be prevented by the international community.

Shoukry asserted his country’s keenness to advance Jordanian-Egyptian ties to confront regional challenges.

He pointed to the importance of preventing repeated Israeli attacks, the Sheikh Jarrah issue, and other practices that led to the escalation and resorting to military actions between Israel and Hamas.

“What Israel is doing in the West Bank necessitates Egypt communicating with Jordan,” Shoukry said, pointing to “the importance of crystallizing an international position to stabilize the calm.”



Türkiye Reopens Consulate in Syria's Aleppo 

A Turkish flag is pictured on a boat in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 25, 2018. (Reuters)
A Turkish flag is pictured on a boat in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 25, 2018. (Reuters)
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Türkiye Reopens Consulate in Syria's Aleppo 

A Turkish flag is pictured on a boat in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 25, 2018. (Reuters)
A Turkish flag is pictured on a boat in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 25, 2018. (Reuters)

Türkiye reopened its consulate in Syria’s largest city, Aleppo, raising its flag at the building for the first time in 12 years, Türkiye’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The opening on Monday comes weeks after the Turkish Embassy resumed its operations in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Dec. 14.

Türkiye had closed down its diplomatic missions in Syria in 2012 due to security concerns amid the civil war, during which Ankara supported forces opposed to the government of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Prior to the Syria conflict, Aleppo, located some 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the Turkish border, was an important center for trade between Türkiye and Syria.