Aqaba meeting an important political step in years — Safadi

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Sunday said that the Aqaba meeting, which brought together Palestinian and Israeli political and security officials, along with representatives from Jordan, the US and Egypt, was the first of its kind in years.

The meeting emphasised a Palestinian-Israeli commitment to respect all previous agreements, work towards de-escalation and achieve a just and comprehensive peace, Safadi noted, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Safadi further added that the Aqaba Communiqué, issued by the participants following the meeting, included important commitments that, if implemented, would lead to de-escalation and broader political engagement.

The Aqaba meeting launched a political process that would reconvene in a month in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh to follow up on its intensive and direct negotiations, to build on the outcomes.

The Palestinian National Authority and the Israeli government affirmed in the Aqaba Communiqué their joint readiness and commitment to immediately halt unilateral actions for a period of three to six months. This includes an Israeli commitment to a four-month suspension of discussing the establishment of any new settlement units and a six-month freeze on approving any new settlement outposts.

The participants in the conference also emphasised the importance of preserving the existing historical status quo in Jerusalem’s holy places “in word and deed”, and emphasised the Hashemite Custodianship and the Jordanian role in this regard, the statement said.

Safadi said that what was achieved in Aqaba is an important political step on “a long and difficult road” towards stopping deterioration and pushing towards a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, and that the implementation on the ground would determine the outcome of the situation.

Halting unilateral actions that undermine the two-state solution and provocative measures that lead to tension and violence is necessary to end the deterioration and de-escalate the situation, he said.

Safadi reiterated that the Kingdom will continue to exert every possible effort to stop the deterioration and create “a genuine political horizon” that will activate a peaceful process and make progress towards resolving the conflict based on the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security.

Safadi expressed appreciation to Egypt for its efforts before and during the Aqaba meeting, highlighting the depth of coordination between the two countries.

Safadi also praised the important role of the US and its active and influential participation in the meeting, emphasising the central leadership role of the US in all peaceful efforts.

He also emphasised the importance of US efforts and the positions taken by the Biden administration regarding the need to cease all unilateral actions and work towards achieving peace on the basis of the two-state solution.