Egypt ‘skeptical’ of peace because of Israel settlements
As Abbas lands in Cairo for talks with interim Egyptain regieme, Egypt's FM says settlement construction hinders peace process, claims 'Abbas accepted historic compromise, is simply asking for a contiguous state'
Fahmy's comments, in an interview with AFP, came on the eve of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas 's visit to Cairo and days after direct talks with Israel broke down over settlement construction.
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Abbas "essentially accepted a historic compromise between the Palestinians and the Israelis and is simply asking for a contiguous state with east Jerusalem as its capital," Fahmy said.
"We are worried, I would even add to it, to a degree skeptical, but committed to trying to help as much as we can," Fahmy said.
"Settlement activity...is expanding and also going to the heart of the West Bank," he said.
In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab state to sign a peace deal with Israel in return for the Jewish state's withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula, which was occupied five years before.
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