Al-Faisal. End Hamas-Fatah rivalry
Photo: AP
Abbas. Will brief Cairo ministers
Photo: AP
Saudi FM wants Arabs to bridge Palestinian rifts
Prince Saud Al-Faisal says during Cairo meeting that 'it's about time Arab countries take solid, decisive stance against those who shed Palestinian blood, deepen Palestinian division', opts to create single governing force to control security
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, urged for an Arab push to help end inter-Palestinian rifts and re-establish moderate Palestinian rule in the Gaza Strip.
"It's about time that the Arab countries take a solid and decisive stance against those who shed Palestinian blood and deepen the Palestinian division," Saud said.
The prince's remarks came during a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo on Monday. The top Saudi diplomat appeared to back an Egyptian proposal to send Arab troops to the coastal Strip ruled by the militant faction.
On Strike
Education and health dispute sparks tensions between Hamas and Fatah, harms chances of Palestinian reunification
"This requires only one Palestinian authority and one government, which controls the army and the security forces." He told the Cairo gathering that Palestinian factions have a vested interest in keeping the Gaza dispute ongoing.
Egypt last week floated the idea of an Arab troop deployment to Gaza to end Hamas' control and re-establish the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority there.
Saud's Egyptian counterpart, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said at the meeting in the Arab League headquarters that "this idea is on the table and it should be carefully looked into and studied."
"The presence of Arab troops on the ground can help in ending the fighting and halting the Palestinian-Israeli confrontations," Aboul Gheit added.
Although Saud did not elaborate on what he meant with a "decisive" stand on Gaza, Arab media have reported that Riyadh shares Egypt's concern about the growing influence Iran has in the coastal strip, and that it supports sending an Arab peacekeeping force in. Hamas and other radical Palestinian groups have said they oppose such an idea.
Reconciliation after Ramadan
Cairo plans to host a reconciliation meeting between Hamas and Fatah after the Islamic month of Ramadan but apparently is looking to first shore up backing for an Arab peacekeeping force before trying to sell it to both factions.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was expected to brief the ministers in Cairo later Monday on his peace talks with Israel and the reconciliation efforts.
Iran's standoff with the West over its nuclear program was also on the agenda of the Cairo meeting. Saud said Iran should keep its commitment not to develop a nuclear weapons program and that this verbal commitment should "guarantee a quick and peaceful end" to the Iranian nuclear controversy.
