RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday hosted the Egyptian and Jordanian intelligence chiefs to brief them on plans to hold the first Palestinian elections in 14 years.
Abbas issued a decree on Friday announcing plans for parliamentary elections in May and a presidential election in July. The rival Islamic militant group Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip from Abbas’ forces in 2007, welcomed the decree.
The elections would mark a major step toward reconciling the Palestinian rift between Abbas’ Fatah movement, which runs the West Bank, and Hamas. But many obstacles remain, and past attempts at reconciliation have repeatedly failed.
In a statement, Abbas’ office said it briefed the Egyptian and Jordanian delegations on “the latest developments related to the Palestinian issue, specifically the national reconciliation file” and thanked both countries for their assistance. Jordan borders the West Bank, while Egypt border Gaza.
The rival Palestinian factions are to meet in Egypt next week, hoping to settle their differences before election campaigning kicks off.
Palestinian president briefs Egypt, Jordan on election plan
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Palestinian president briefs Egypt, Jordan on election plan
- Abbas issued a decree on Friday announcing plans for parliamentary elections in May and a presidential election in July
- The elections would mark a major step toward reconciling the Palestinian rift between Fatah and Hamas
The art of war: fears for masterpieces on loan to Louvre Abu Dhabi
- UAE paid more than €1 billion to borrow priceless works, but experts in France want them back
PARIS: The Middle East war has raised fears for the safety of priceless masterpieces on loan from France to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the museum’s only foreign branch.
The Abu Dhabi museum, which opened in 2017, has so far escaped damage from nearly 1,800 Iranian drone and missile strikes launched since the conflict erupted on Feb. 28.
However, concerns are mounting in France. “The works must be removed,” said Didier Selles, who helped broker the original agreement between France and the UAE.
French journal La Tribune de l’Art echoed that alarm. “The Louvre’s works in Abu Dhabi must be secured!” it said.
France’s culture ministry said French authorities were “in close and regular contact with the authorities of the UAE to ensure the protection of the works loaned by France.”
Under the agreement with the UAE, France agreed to provide expertise, lend works of art and organize exhibitions, in return for €1 billion, including €400 million for licensing the use of the Louvre name. The deal was extended in 2021 to 2047 for an additional €165 million.
Works on loan include paintings by Rembrandt and Chardin, Classical statues of Isis, Roman sarcophagi and Islamic masterpieces: such as the Pyxis of Al-Mughira.
A Louvre Abu Dhabi source said the museum was designed to protect collections from both security threats and natural disasters.
