Mahmoud Abbas called for the activation of the Arab financial safety net during a meeting with Secretary-General Nabil Fahmi at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, citing the Palestinian Authority's economic conditions.
The Palestinian president praised the Arab League's support for the Palestinian cause. He commended the support of Arab countries and the League's position in helping the Palestinian people achieve freedom and independence.
Developments in Gaza and the West Bank
The meeting addressed the political and on-the-ground developments in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, as well as the situation in the Gaza Strip. Abbas described settlement expansion, settler actions and attacks on holy sites as elements of a dangerous escalation.
Abbas said that despite the declaration of a ceasefire, Palestinians in Gaza continued to face a blockade, hunger and daily deaths.
The sides also discussed steps to strengthen coordination and cooperation between Palestine and the Arab League, secure Arab and international support for the Palestinian cause, and provide protection for Palestinians.
The meeting also addressed the reconstruction of areas in the Gaza Strip destroyed by the war, halting settlement activities, countering projects aimed at displacing Palestinians, and intensifying efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
Call for $100 million in monthly support
Abbas said Israel continued to withhold more than $6 billion in tax revenues belonging to Palestine. He said measures that he described as aimed at weakening the institutions of the Palestinian Authority were increasing economic pressure.
The Arab financial safety net, adopted in 2010, provides for $100 million in monthly support for the Palestinian government during periods of financial crisis. Palestinians have asked the Arab League to activate the mechanism at various times.
Abbas said the support would strengthen the Palestinian people's resilience in the face of economic difficulties.
Focus on reform and elections
Abbas briefed Fahmi on the work he said the Palestinian government had carried out as part of its national reform program. He said he would continue working to renew national legitimacy through elections.
Abbas arrived in Cairo on Tuesday as part of a two-day official visit focused on consultation and coordination with the Egyptian administration.
