Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Egyptian-Jordanian-Palestinian Summit in Cairo Thursday

Jordanian King Abdullah meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the Arab summit at the Dead Sea in 2017 (AFP photo)
Jordanian King Abdullah meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the Arab summit at the Dead Sea in 2017 (AFP photo)
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Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Egyptian-Jordanian-Palestinian Summit in Cairo Thursday

Jordanian King Abdullah meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the Arab summit at the Dead Sea in 2017 (AFP photo)
Jordanian King Abdullah meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the Arab summit at the Dead Sea in 2017 (AFP photo)

The tripartite Egyptian-Jordanian-Palestinian summit will be held in Cairo on Thursday, an Egyptian source told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He said the meeting aims to unify the Arab position towards the resumption of negotiations with the United States on peace talks.

“The summit should build on a unified Arab stand concerning the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and on the contacts held with Washington following the visit of Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency William Burns to Cairo, Ramallah and Tel Aviv two weeks ago,” the source said.

He added that one of the results of Burns’ talks in the region is the recent meeting held between Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

The summit will bring together Jordanian King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Abbas.

A Jordanian source revealed that the summit mainly seeks to coordinate positions over the latest developments in the region ahead of Abbas's trip to the United Nations, where he is expected to deliver a speech.

On Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said that he is looking forward to the tripartite summit to urge the US administration to fulfill its promise on the establishment of two states and to end “racial” settlements, as well as resolving Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.



Hezbollah-Israel Ceasefire Proposal Says Only ‘Official’ Forces May Carry Arms in Lebanon

 Lebanese soldiers ride in a convoy in Mansouri, as they head to southern Lebanon, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP)
Lebanese soldiers ride in a convoy in Mansouri, as they head to southern Lebanon, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP)
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Hezbollah-Israel Ceasefire Proposal Says Only ‘Official’ Forces May Carry Arms in Lebanon

 Lebanese soldiers ride in a convoy in Mansouri, as they head to southern Lebanon, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP)
Lebanese soldiers ride in a convoy in Mansouri, as they head to southern Lebanon, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP)

A ceasefire proposal agreed to by Lebanon and Israel stipulates that only "official military and security forces" in Lebanon are authorized to carry arms in the country, according to a copy of the deal dated on Tuesday and seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

It specifically names those forces as the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Internal Security Forces, General Security, State Security, Lebanese customs and municipal police.

Officials in both the Lebanese government and Iran-backed Hezbollah have long referred to cabinet statements since 2008 enshrining the right to "resistance" as providing official approval for Hezbollah's arsenal.

The truce proposal refers to both sides' commitment to fully implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, including provisions that refer to the "disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon".

Hezbollah has not formally commented on the ceasefire, but senior official Hassan Fadlallah told Lebanon's Al Jadeed TV late on Tuesday that while the group supported the extension of the Lebanese state's authority, the group would emerge from the war stronger.

"Thousands will join the resistance... Disarming the resistance was an Israeli proposal that fell through," said Fadlallah, who is also a member of Lebanon's parliament.