Spotlight on importance of prioritizing ceasefire, facilitating aid to Gaza Aboul Gheit emphasized the urgency of swiftly moving toward a political settlement that would pave the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state CAIRO: Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit has emphasized the importance of pursuing all possible avenues to achieve Palestinian reconciliation. He spoke as he welcomed a high-level delegation from the Palestinian Fatah movement in Cairo. The talks followed the delegation’s separate meeting with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Aboul Gheit also stressed the importance of prioritizing a ceasefire and facilitating the delivery of aid to Gaza. He emphasized the urgency of swiftly moving toward a political settlement that would pave the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Aboul Gheit said that the Palestinian National Movement served as an overarching platform for all factions, adding that Fatah had played an undeniable role in the Palestinian struggle over the decades. He reiterated that unity among Palestinian ranks was indispensable for realizing the vision of a Palestinian state. The Fatah delegation included Mahmoud Al-Aloul, the movement’s vice president; Rawhi Fattouh, the president of the Palestinian National Council; and Azzam Al-Ahmad and Samir Al-Rifai, members of Fatah’s Central Committee. Jamal Rushdi, a spokesperson for Aboul Gheit, said that the secretary-general had listened to a presentation by Fatah leaders on the latest developments in the region. Discussions centered on the war against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and the violence faced by Palestinians by occupation forces and armed extremist settlers in the West Bank. The Arab League’s chief stressed the role of the Palestinian Authority and Fatah in the struggle and spoke of the need to end the geographical and political division that had plagued Palestinians since 2007. Aboul Gheit listened to the leaders and their strategies to bolster Palestinian resilience on their land, whether in the West Bank or Gaza. He conveyed the Arab League’s unwavering support for the Palestinian Authority’s endeavors to harness global momentum in advocating for Palestinian rights. He added that the Gaza catastrophe had revealed unimaginable brutality and a stark absence of humanity, which had elicited shock from conscientious people worldwide. Aboul Gheit insisted that the world was now convinced of the inevitability of Palestinians achieving their right to self-determination and establishing an independent state. This conviction contrasted sharply with previous notions that the Palestinian issue could be managed through “economic peace.” Aboul Gheit spoke of the Arab League’s vision with the delegation, based on recent engagements with influential international actors close to recognizing the Palestinian state. He stressed that the correct approach to negotiating a final settlement was to recognize statehood and attain permanent membership in the UN.