Arab League calls on US to exert pressure to salvage Middle East peace talks
- 10 years ago
Arab foreign ministers have held an emergency meeting at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo. They called on the US to step up their efforts to save Middle East peace talks which are on the brink of collapse.
US Secretary of State John Kerry had hoped to conclude a final peace deal by April 29.
The Palestinian authority has laid the blame for the talks stalling on actions taken by Israel.
“Israel has refused to release the fourth instalment of the Palestinian prisoners and announced the construction of 708 new settlement homes in the Jerusalem area and these acts have caused the current crisis,” explained Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki.
The Palestinian Authority responded by signing 15 global treaties on behalf of the State of Palestine which in turn angered Israel which also imposed economic penalties. The Arab League has pledged financial aid.
Euronews correspondent in Cairo Mohammed Shaikhibrahim said:
“The Palestinian side brought the ball back into the Arab arena in a bid to get more political cover and finance in light of the horizon for these negotiations being clouded and also because of the warnings from the Israeli side that it would impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority.”
US Secretary of State John Kerry had hoped to conclude a final peace deal by April 29.
The Palestinian authority has laid the blame for the talks stalling on actions taken by Israel.
“Israel has refused to release the fourth instalment of the Palestinian prisoners and announced the construction of 708 new settlement homes in the Jerusalem area and these acts have caused the current crisis,” explained Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki.
The Palestinian Authority responded by signing 15 global treaties on behalf of the State of Palestine which in turn angered Israel which also imposed economic penalties. The Arab League has pledged financial aid.
Euronews correspondent in Cairo Mohammed Shaikhibrahim said:
“The Palestinian side brought the ball back into the Arab arena in a bid to get more political cover and finance in light of the horizon for these negotiations being clouded and also because of the warnings from the Israeli side that it would impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority.”