Arab Peace Initiative Committee in Doha

The Arab League has underlined the importance of the ministerial meeting of the Arab Peace Initiative Committee, due to be held in Doha on Sunday at the request of the Palestinian Authority to discuss developments and all aspects of the Palestinian issue in the shadow of the stalled peace process. Arab League Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Ahmed Ben Helli said in a statement to reporters today that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will participate in the meeting which will discuss the Palestinian and Arab moves during the coming period in the shadow of the stumbling peace process and Israel's insistence on its judaization and settlement schemes and its failure to respond to calls for the release of Palestinian detainees. He explained that all these matters need an Arab collective position ahead of meetings of the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled in September. The second theme which will be discussed by the Ministerial Committee is the financial crisis faced by the Palestinian Authority," Bin Hilli said confirming that there are financial obligations on the Arab states towards the Palestinian Authority that must be met in order to carry out its functions. He pointed out that the Palestinian president will consult with Arab foreign ministers who are members of the committee on the Palestinian endeavour to obtain the full membership of the global organization after the failure last year to obtain the UN full membership. The Palestinian president will provide Arab foreign ministers with a full report on the results of his contacts and consultations with various regional and international parties in the light of Israel failure to respond to his letter to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on the demands of the Palestinians for the resumption of the stalled negotiations, Bin Hilli said.