Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa for the first time since the change in Syrian leadership. Their discussions, held in Cairo during an Arab summit, focused on Gaza’s reconstruction and opposition to displacement proposals. Both leaders condemned Israeli policies threatening Palestinian territory and underscored the need for humanitarian support in Gaza.
LONDON: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has met with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa for the first time since the change of power in Syria last December. The meeting occurred in Cairo during an emergency Arab summit dedicated to discussing the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. The summit also served as a platform to oppose US President Donald Trump’s proposal, which suggests displacing Palestinians in Gaza and taking control of the region.
During their discussions, Abbas and Al-Sharaa addressed the recent developments in the occupied West Bank, asserting that the Gaza Strip remains a fundamental part of Palestinian territory. Abbas emphasized the necessity of maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza, providing humanitarian aid, and ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave, according to reports from the Palestine News Agency.
Both leaders voiced their opposition to Israeli actions that threaten territorial integrity, particularly focusing on the expansion of settlements in the West Bank. These expansion efforts, alongside the displacement of numerous Palestinians from refugee camps and plans to annex parts of the territory, pose significant challenges to the prospect of establishing an independent Palestinian state.
Since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime last December, Israeli forces have occupied portions of the southern Syrian region, including the strategically significant Mount Hermon summit. This occupation has disrupted a decades-old agreement regarding the area.
Present at the meeting alongside Abbas and Al-Sharaa were Hussein Al-Sheikh, the secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and Diab Al-Louh, the Palestinian ambassador to Egypt.
In conclusion, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s meeting with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa marks a historic moment following Syria’s recent political changes. Their discussions focused on the Gaza Strip and the ongoing threats from Israeli policies, emphasizing the importance of international solidarity. This interaction underscores the continued relevance of Palestinian issues within the broader Arab context and the need for cooperative action in the face of regional challenges.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
