US welcomes Aqaba meeting, communique

AMMAN — US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday welcomed the meeting hosted by Jordan in Aqaba between senior officials of Israel, the Palestinian Authority (PA), Jordan, Egypt and the US.

“We welcome the meeting held today in Aqaba, Jordan, between senior officials of Israel, the Palestinian Authority (PA), Jordan, Egypt, and the United States. This was the first meeting of its kind in years, and resulted in the  HYPERLINK "https://www.state.gov/aqaba-joint-communique/" Aqaba Communiqué, with commitments by the Government of Israel and the PA to de-escalate and prevent further violence,” according to a statement posted on the White House website. 

“The two sides also affirmed their commitment to all previous agreements between them, and to work towards a just and lasting peace. We recognise that this meeting was a starting point and that there is much work to do over the coming weeks and months to build a stable and prosperous future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Implementation will be critical,” the statement said.

“The President extends his personal thanks to His Majesty, King Abdullah II, for convening this historic gathering, and for the personal efforts of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi over recent weeks to establish the conditions for its success. The United States will continue to remain actively engaged in this format with all parties over the coming weeks, including through a follow up engagement next month in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt,” concluded the statement.

Also on Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged the Aqaba meeting as a positive step for both Palestinians and Israelis, stressing the importance of both sides taking measures to reduce tensions, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.