The Arab League Secretary General Nabil El-Araby met with the European Union representative Andreas Reinicke on Monday. Both parties discussed efforts being made to bring peace to Palestine. The meeting was held on Monday morning in Cairo at the Marriott Hotel in Zamalek.
Both parties discussed the possible directions that could be taken to end the decades-long conflict between Israelis and the Palestinians. The Arab League concluded that peace will only be achieved through the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories.
“The Europeans studying this subject, and the encouraging words we heard from mister Reinicke, indicate that the value of the European Union is increasing in the world and is regarded as a barometer for international relations,” El-Araby said in a statement. He added that the EU has strong ties to the Arab World and is in a good position to influence Israel both commercially and through arms embargoes.
El-Araby said the EU was considering which practical steps they could take to bring an end to the conflict, and the EU fully supports the Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA, EL-Araby said, has not been affected by any economic pressure imposed by nations, such as when the United States cut off aid, as the EU supports the PA both financially and politically.
El-Araby also said that Arab nations were gearing up to provide financial assistance to the PA after an Arab League delegation urged them to do so.
The EU is interested in launching negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians in 2013. They are looking for the support of the Arab League in constructing such negotiations.
