CAIRO/RAMALLAH, Sept 10 (NNN-MENA) – Arab foreign ministers have not reached a consensus on a draft presented by Palestine, over the peace process with Israel, an Arab League (AL) official said.
Hossam Zaki, AL’s assistant secretary-general, made the remarks, after the 154th session of the AL Council, at the level of foreign ministers, which kicked off via a video conference under Palestine’s presidency.
Zaki said that “the discussions regarding the Israel-United Arab Emirates (UAE) deal were serious, comprehensive and took much time.”
He added that the Palestinian side has presented a draft, administering the peace process with Israel, but it was subject to some amendments.
“The Palestinian side rejected finalising the draft with un-complete items,” he added.
An AL official said, Arab countries rejected some phrases in the draft that touched upon the Arab Peace Initiative, and the draft wasn’t finally passed.
Saudi Arabia proposed the Arab Peace Initiative in 2002, which stipulates that the Arab states can only normalise relations with Israel after the Palestinian issue is resolved.
“The meeting has tackled key Arab issues, topped by the Palestinian developments, as well as political, security, social and health issues, in addition to developments in Libya,” said the Cairo-based AL.
AL’s Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul-Ghei, reiterated rejection for the Israeli annexation plans in his speech, deeming it as “a crime of war.”
“I renew full opposition to such plans or any other ongoing arrangements at the intra-national level, that would diminish Palestinian right, or prejudice the status of the city of Jerusalem,” he added, noting that the Palestine cause has been and will remain an issue of Arab consensus.
Aboul-Gheit stressed that the Arab Peace Initiative is still the basic plan for achieving a comprehensive, just and permanent peace between Israel and the Arabs.
A U.S.-brokered agreement to normalise ties between Israel and the UAE was announced on Aug 13.
Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said, the kingdom supports all efforts to reach a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Maliki, said, the Israeli-UAE deal is “a surprise and an earthquake that hit the Arabs,” calling for “an immediate rejection of the deal before the signing ceremony, planned in Washington on Sept 15.”– NNN-MENA
