White House envoy hails President El-Sisi's efforts for Gaza

SEE – August30th:  On Wednesday, just hours after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke on the phone with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi about the situation in Gaza, the White House published a statement thanking El- Sisi for his attempts to bring calm to Gaza, media reports said.

"The Trump Administration strongly supports the efforts of President El-Sisi and the Egyptian government to help facilitate an agreement to restore calm in Gaza and bring about the conditions for the Palestinian Authority to fully assume its responsibilities in Gaza," said Jason Greenblatt, Trump's special envoy to the peace process.

Greenblatt further stated that "The Palestinian Authority cannot criticize from the sidelines. The Palestinian Authority should be part of the solution for the Palestinians of Gaza and Palestinians as a whole. If not, others will fill that void." He added that "it's time for the Palestinian Authority to lead the Palestinian people – all Palestinians – to a better future."

The White House statement and the call between Abbas and El-Sisi point at an increased pressure, both from Washington and from the Arab world, on Abbas with regards to Gaza. Abbas has been concerned about the diplomatic efforts to improve the situation in Gaza, because he believes those talks will empower Hamas on expense of the Palestinian Authority.