Media: Palestinian president rejects Biden's phone call
Date
10/22/2023 8:15:01 AM
(MENAFN) During United States President Joe Biden's visit to Israel on Wednesday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly declined a proposed phone call with Biden, as per Israeli state media reports on Friday. According to a Palestinian source in the West Bank, Biden's team had made an effort to arrange a conversation between the two leaders, but Abbas turned down the request. However, Biden and Abbas did engage in a phone conversation the previous Saturday, with Biden committing to support endeavors to provide urgent humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, according to a statement from the White House.
Originally, Biden, Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Jordan's King Abdullah II were scheduled to convene in Jordan on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the summit was called off by the Jordanian side following a tragic explosion at Gaza's al-Ahli Arab Hospital the night before. The responsibility for the blast became a point of contention, with both Israelis and Palestinians attributing blame to each other. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported an estimated 500 casualties. Jordan's Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, sided with the Palestinians, accusing Israel of targeting the hospital in what he termed "a heinous war crime."
In the absence of the summit, Biden spent Wednesday in Israel, where he publicly supported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that the hospital was struck by an errant Palestinian rocket. Egypt is set to host a summit in Cairo on Saturday to address the ongoing conflict. Abbas is anticipated to be in attendance, along with various leaders from Gulf and European nations, as well as European Union representatives. Notably, American and Israeli officials will not be present at the gathering.
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