Abbas Spends Two Days in Egypt as President Al-Sisi Seeks to Broaden Regional Role

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has concluded a two-day visit to Egypt where he held a number of talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh Al-Sisi and other government leaders. The visit comes as Sisi seeks to solidify his position as an international players and assert his influence in matters including the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Sisi reiterated his support for a peace deal that is based on “pre-1967 borders and east Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.” The meetings come weeks before Abbas travels to Washington where he will be hosted at the White House. Observers also see a domestic element to Abbas’ Cairo trip: the kudos received from President Al-Sisi which come at a time when Abbas’s popularity is waning. The Egyptian president complimented Abbas on his “wise leadership” which served the Palestinian people well.