Egyptian, Palestinian Leaders Discuss Palestinian Cause

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday made a phone call to his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the latest developments of the Palestinian cause.

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Sisi reiterated Egypt's support for the Palestinian cause as well as its continuous coordination with Palestinian and international partners "to crystallize a clear vision" to advance the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

The discussion came a couple of days after Cairo sponsored a historic reconciliation dialogue by rival Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, which agreed to go ahead with holding legislative and presidential elections later this year after almost 15 years of suspension.

Abbas expressed his appreciation for Egypt's "historic role" in supporting the Palestinian cause and its keenness on reaching "a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue."

The internal Palestinian division between the ruling Fatah and Hamas began in 2007 when Hamas forcibly took over Gaza Strip. Since then, the Palestinian territories have been split into a Hamas-controlled Gaza and the Fatah-dominated West Bank.

In a presidential decree issued last month, Abbas announced that the Palestinian legislative elections will be held on May 22, the presidential elections on July 31, and the Palestinian National Council elections on Aug. 31.

The recent inter-Palestinian reconciliation achieved in Cairo is expected to pave the way for holding the long-awaited Palestinian elections in a positive atmosphere.