Palestinian vice president meets Saudi crown prince in 1st foreign visit

RIYADH/ISTANBUL

Palestine Vice President Hussein Sheikh met Thursday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on his first foreign visit since assuming office in April, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).​​​​​​​

The meeting at the Al-Salam Palace focused on “the latest developments in Palestine and explored ways to strengthen joint efforts to support the Palestinian cause and the interests of the Palestinian people.”

It was attended by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and several Palestinian officials.

The Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization approved in April Sheikh’s appointment as vice president of the committee and vice president of Palestine.

Sheikh conveyed President Mahmoud Abbas’s greetings to King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the crown prince, according to the Palestinian news agency, Wafa.

Sheikh also expressed the gratitude of Palestine and its people to Saudi Arabia and its people for their support across all levels.

The meeting also addressed the “coordination of positions on the international stage in support of Palestinian rights," Wafa reported.

The vice president thanked Saudi Arabia for coordinating “with France, the European Union, Arab partners, and relevant international stakeholders in the global coalition to convene the International Peace Conference."

The conference is scheduled for early June in New York City to rally the recognition of Palestine and secure full UN membership, paving the way for a political process to end the Israeli occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Saudi Arabia and France will jointly chair the high-level international conference for a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian question and implementation of the two-state solution, according to the UN website.