Cairo: Jordanian and Egyptian positions on the Palestinian issue were reaffirmed with French backing during the recent trilateral summit in Cairo, signaling Europe’s growing recognition of the critical roles Amman and Cairo play in regional stability, political analysts and academics said.
According to Jordan News Agency, the summit, which brought together His Majesty King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and French President Emmanuel Macron, came at a pivotal moment, particularly in light of developments in Gaza and France’s active involvement at the European level, they told the Jordan News Agency (Petra).
They stressed the importance of the leaders’ joint call to mobilize international support for Gaza’s reconstruction, reject the displacement of Palestinians, oppose any attempts to annex Palestinian land, and uphold the historical and legal status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites.
Zuhair Abu Faris, deputy speaker of the Senate, said the summit continues King Abdullah’s diplomatic efforts to end the war on Gaza, including his recent engagements in Europe, where he stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire and the immediate entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.
Abu Faris underscored the importance of France’s participation in the summit, describing Paris as a key European and international player. He said the summit also reflected the King’s ongoing drive to rally global public opinion and pressure Israel to halt its military campaign in Gaza and the West Bank while reviving prospects for a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
He highlighted the pivotal Jordanian-Egyptian alignment on the Palestinian file, noting that their unified stance played a key role in thwarting Israeli plans for the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza-a move widely viewed as a precursor to a similar scheme in the West Bank.
Abu Faris also pointed to the recent remarks by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during King Abdullah’s visit to Berlin, reaffirming the importance of the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem-an issue also echoed in the summit’s final communique.
Former Agriculture Minister Reda Khwaldeh said the summit reflects ongoing Jordanian-Egyptian coordination since the start of the Gaza war, underpinned by both nations’ historic roles in championing the Palestinian cause.
He noted that the summit’s significance lies in its clear reiteration of Jordanian and Egyptian principles, now with French endorsement, which sends a unified message to Europe.
In light of Washington’s diminished role in mediating a ceasefire, Khwaldeh said the summit highlighted the need for a cohesive European front to support the Arab position, apply pressure on the United States, ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, reject displacement policies, and advance a peaceful resolution based on the two-state framework.
He added that France has repeatedly affirmed its support for Jordanian and Egyptian stances on Palestine, and the summit may serve as the starting point for greater European alignment with Arab priorities in the region.