SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — The Egyptian president told a summit of world leaders Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mideast proposal represents the “last chance” for peace in the region and reiterated his call for a two-state solution, saying Palestinians have the right to an independent state.
The summit in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh was aimed at supporting the ceasefire reached in Gaza, ending the Israel-Hamas war and developing a long-term vision for governing and rebuilding the devastated Palestinian territory.
The gathering appeared designed to rally international support behind the Trump vision for putting an end to the war. Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, the co-chair of the summit, told Trump “only you” can bring peace to the region.
Trump’s plan holds out the possibility of a Palestinian state, but only after a lengthy transition period in Gaza and a reform process by the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes Palestinian independence. Trump made no mention of a two-state solution at the summit.
In his own address to the summit, Trump called for a new era of harmony in the Middle East, saying that the region has “a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us.” He urged leaders “to declare that our future will not be ruled by the fights of generations past.”
Israel and Hamas came under pressure from the United States, Arab countries and Turkey to agree on the first phase of the ceasefire deal negotiated in Qatar through mediators. It began Friday.
On Monday, Trump, el-Sissi, the Qatari emir and the Turkish president signed a document. Trump said the document spelled out “a lot of rules and regulations and lots of other things, and it’s very comprehensive.” The document was not shared with journalists in the room or made public.
The summit unfolded soon after Hamas released 20 remaining living Israeli hostages and Israel started to fr …