Kerry to meet Abbas, Jordan's Abdullah in Egypt on sidelines of economic meeting

US official says leaders would discuss the economic crisis facing the Palestinian Authority

By REUTERS
US Secretary of State Kerry meets with Palestinian President Abbas in Amman. (photo credit: REUTERS)
US Secretary of State Kerry meets with Palestinian President Abbas in Amman.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
US Secretary of State John Kerry is set to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah on Friday on the sidelines of economic talks in Egypt, AFP reported.
A US State Department official told AFP that the leaders would discuss the economic crisis facing the Palestinian Authority. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi may also attend the meeting the official said.
"We continue to be concerned about the PA," the official told reporters traveling with Kerry on his plane to the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
"It’s really part of the continuous, ongoing conversation we’re having with the critical stakeholders here," the official said Thursday, AFP reported.
Israel in January froze the transfer of some NIS 500 million in tax collections to the Palestinian Authority. The move came as a protest of the formal application for membership of the International Criminal Court that was filed by the PA on behalf of the “State of Palestine.”
Kerry is due to arrive Friday at the Sinai resort to attend an international economic conference. Sisi hopes the conference will project an image of stability and attract billions of dollars to Egypt.
Reuters contributed to this report.