Abbas welcomes summit on reconciliation, Jerusalem fund

President Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday, in the opening session of the two-day Arab summit held in Doha, welcomed the Qatar proposal to hold an Arab mini summit on reconciliation, based on Doha and Cairo agreements, and fund to support Jerusalem chaired by Egypt. The Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, proposed to hold a mini-Arab summit in Cairo as soon as possible with the participation of Fatah and Hamas with a goal to reach national reconciliation and agree on a date for election in addition to forming a transitional government. Al Thani also proposed a $1 billion fund to support Jerusalem of which Qatar will provide the first $250 million. Abbas called for an Arab Islamic move towards the UN and the national organizations to stop Israel from continuing with its destructive plan against Jerusalem. Abbas praised the Arab peace initiative committee’s decision of sending an Arab ministerial delegation to Washington in April to create new methodologies for resolving the current conflict, in accordance with a well-defined and specific timetable, leading to end the Israeli occupation, and to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. He said, “Our people expect the Arab countries to continue committing to pay their financial obligations in support of the PA’s budget in accordance to procedures of Beirut 2002 summit and the safety net approved in Baghdad summit.”