A tripartite summit was held in Cairo, on Tuesday, bringing together Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, to discuss developments in the Palestinian cause in light of the current developments in the occupied territories, and the related regional and international situations. During the meeting, the leaders stressed the necessity of preserving the legitimate Palestinian rights and the continuation of their joint efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, which embodies the independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the lines of 4th of June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. Al-Sisi and Abdullah renewed their countries' full support for the efforts of the Palestinian President in this delicate circumstance that the Palestinian cause is going through, amid increasing regional and international challenges. The leaders stressed the need for the international community to provide protection for the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights and join efforts to find a real political horizon that would re-launch serious and effective negotiations to resolve the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution, warning of the danger of the continued absence of a political horizon and its repercussions on security and stability. They also stressed the need to stop all illegal, unilateral Israeli measures that undermine the two-state solution and the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace, which include settlements, confiscation of Palestinian lands, home demolitions, the displacement of Palestinians from their homes, the continuous Israeli incursions into Palestinian cities, and the violation of the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its sanctities. In their joint statement, the three heads of state stressed the necessity of preserving the existing historical and legal situation in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian sanctities, in a manner that guarantees respect for the fact that the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its entire area of 144 dunums, is a pure place of worship for Muslims, and that the Department of Endowments for Jerusalem and the Affairs of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque of the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments, Islamic Affairs and Holy Sites is the only body authorized to manage the affairs of the Al-Aqsa and regulate entry to it. Al-Sisi and Abbas also affirmed the importance of the historical Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem and its role in protecting these sanctities and their Arab, Islamic and Christian identity. Moreover, the leaders stressed the need to unify the Palestinian movements and end the division, which is an interest and necessity for the Palestinian people, because of its impact on the unity of the Palestinian position and its steadfastness in defending its cause, and the need to take serious and effective measures to alleviate the deteriorating living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The King of Jordan and the Palestinian President praised the Egyptian efforts to maintain calm in the Gaza Strip and to rebuild the strip, while reaffirming the responsibility of international donors in the efforts to rebuild Gaza. The leaders called on the international community to continue to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and the need to provide the financial support it needs to continue providing vital services to Palestinian refugees in accordance with its UN mandate, especially in light of the important humanitarian and development role that the Agency plays in favour of the Palestinian people.
