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AMMAN | Xinhua | Jordan, Egypt and Palestine stressed Wednesday their rejection of any Israeli plans to displace Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The rejection was reiterated during a trilateral summit held in Jordan’s Aqaba, where King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also called for international condemnation of and actions against such plans.
They stressed the need for continuing pressure on Israel to stop its aggression on Gaza and protect the innocent civilians in the strip, according to a statement by Jordan’s Royal Hashemite Court.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian president called for “a decisive stance” from the international community to push for a ceasefire in the besieged enclave and explained the efforts made by Egypt to open dialogue with all concerned parties to reach a truce agreement in Gaza.
The leaders also expressed complete rejection of any attempts to liquidate the Palestine issue and to separate Gaza and the West Bank, both of which are integral parts of the Palestinian state, the statement added.
At the summit, the three leaders reiterated the importance of ensuring sufficient delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in the enclave.
King Abdullah II, Sisi and Abbas also voiced “complete rejection of any attempts to reoccupy parts of Gaza,” stressing the necessity of “enabling the people of the Gaza Strip to return to their homes.”
Noting Israel’s hostilities in the West Bank, as well as its violations of Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem, the leaders warned that such actions could escalate tensions in the region.
The three heads of state agreed to continue working together in coordination with Arab and influential countries to find a political horizon for resolving the Palestine issue to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution, which entails restoring the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and ensuring the establishment of their independent and sovereign state on the 1967 border and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Before the summit, the Jordanian king held separate meetings with the Egyptian and Palestinian presidents to discuss efforts toward an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The Aqaba summit was held while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on a tour in the Middle East over the conflict in Gaza. He has so far visited Türkiye, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank and Bahrain, and is expected to conclude his trip with a stop in Cairo on Thursday. ■
