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Israeli defence minister meets with Palestinian president

The talks mark the highest-level public meetings between Abbas and an Israeli minister since Israel's new govt was formed in June.

Published: Wed 29 Dec 2021, 10:04 AM

Updated: Wed 29 Dec 2021, 10:04 AM

  • By
  • Reuters
Agencies file

Agencies file

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said on Wednesday that he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to strengthen economic and security ties.

The meeting, their second since Abbas hosted Gantz in August in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, was held late on Tuesday at Gantz's home in Israel, Israel's public broadcaster Kan reported, a first such trip for Abbas in more than a decade.


Palestinian official Hussein Al Sheikh said the two discussed the "importance of creating a political horizon," for the solution of the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The last round of peace talks collapsed in 2014.

"We discussed the implementation of economic and civilian measures, and emphasised the importance of deepening security coordination and preventing terror and violence - for the well-being of both Israelis and Palestinians," Gantz said on Twitter.


Their talks mark the highest-level public meetings between Abbas and an Israeli minister since Israel's new government was formed in June.

The Palestinians have limited self-rule in the West Bank.

Hamas, which has fought several wars with Israel, condemned the Abbas-Gantz talks.


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