Shoukry said Egypt will continue to support the Palestinians and the current efforts to stabilize a cease-fire in Gaza Abbas praised El-Sisi’s initiative to allocate $500 million for the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip LONDON: Egypt’s foreign minister on Monday stressed the need to halt practices that undermine peace and escalate violence between Israel and Palestine, including in East Jerusalem. In a meeting in Ramallah, Sameh Shoukry and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed efforts to ensure the continuation of a cease-fire in Gaza and a revival of the peace process, a foreign ministry statement said. Shoukry said that his country will “continue to support the Palestinian cause” in various fields, and will continue to unify the Palestinian ranks, Palestinian state news agency Wafa said. “I have conveyed a message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to President Mahmoud Abbas of full solidarity with the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Authority, and the close coordination between Egypt and the Palestinian leadership, in order to achieve the goal of establishing an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Shoukry added. “This is the common goal of all Arab countries, to work in full coordination with the Palestinian Authority to achieve this,” he said. Abbas expressed his country’s appreciation of Egypt’s stance in supporting the Palestinian cause, “which reflects its pioneering Arab role in defending our people and their legitimate rights.” He also hailed the efforts made by Egypt, in cooperation with Arab countries, the US administration and other parties, to stop aggression against the Palestinian people, and praised El-Sisi’s initiative to provide $500 million toward repairing the destruction in the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian minister was briefed on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and the talks the Palestinian leadership has held with the US, the UN and Arab and international parties to stop Israeli aggression in the West Bank and Jerusalem, including stopping attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Church of the Holy Sepulchre. “We are ready to continue dialogue to form a government of national accord that is committed to international legitimacy,” Abbas said. He called for an urgent transition after a stable cease-fire toward a political path, under the supervision of the Quartet, that leads to an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international resolutions.