Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, received Mr. Tor Wennesland, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, on 16 September at the General Secretariat in Cairo.
Gamal Roshdy, the spokesman for the Secretary-General, stated that the meeting focused on the evolving situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as well as the risks posed by the ongoing aggressive war on Gaza to regional stability, particularly in light of Israeli calls for escalation along the southern Lebanon front.
Mr. Aboul Gheit said that the tolerance exhibited by major powers and the Western world towards the continuation of this war for an entire year will exact a significant toll on regional stability. He warned that the hatred fostered by Israel through its massacres undermines any prospects for comprehensive peace in the future and threatens to destabilise the peace framework that has prevailed in the region for over four decades.
Roshdy elaborated that Mr. Aboul Gheit listened to the UN coordinator's perspective on preserving the framework of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Both parties concurred that while humanitarian efforts are crucial in the upcoming phase, they must be complemented by a political path that directly addresses the core issue of the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
The spokesman further noted that the meeting also addressed the anticipated diplomatic initiatives aimed at transitioning the two-state solution from mere rhetoric and intentions to tangible actions and implementation. Mr. Aboul Gheit emphasised the necessity of continued political engagement across all platforms, particularly within the United Nations and the Security Council, to uphold and actualise the vision of two states. He underscored that expanding the recognition of the Palestinian state is a pivotal step in this endeavour, as it facilitates negotiations between the two states on an equal footing, grounded in legal parity.
