Arab League, UN discuss developments in Gaza, West Bank

CAIRO: The Arab League and the United Nations discussed on Monday developments in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and the risks posed by the continued Israeli war on regional stability. This came during a meeting in Cairo between the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, and the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland. The two sides discussed the upcoming diplomatic steps to move the two-state solution from the framework of rhetoric and intentions to actions and implementation. Aboul-Gheit called for the necessity of continuing political work in all forums, especially in the United Nations and the UN Security Council, to preserve the vision of the two states and translate it into reality. He stressed that expanding the scope of recognition of the Palestinian state represents an important step on this path, stating: 'It paves the way for negotiations between two states on an equal footing and from a position of equality at the legal level.' Aboul-Gheit listened to the UN coordinator's vision of preserving the framework of the two-state solution and the project of an independent Palestinian state. The two sides agreed that humanitarian work, despite its great importance in the next stage, must be accompanied by a political path that addresses the fundamental issue, which is the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA