CAIRO, Feb 11 (MENA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty asserted necessity of preserving the unity of Palestinian territory and rejecting any attempts to separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank or to divide Gaza itself.
The minister’s remarks came during a meeting with Speaker of the Palestinian National Council Rawhi Fattouh and Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Azzam al-Ahmad as part of ongoing consultations and coordination regarding developments in the Palestinian cause and the latest situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s full support for the Palestinian cause and its unwavering position backing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with Al-Quds (East Jerusalem) as its capital, in accordance with relevant international legitimacy resolutions, Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Tamim Khallaf said.
Abdelatty said a ceasefire in Gaza represents a crucial first step that must be built upon to achieve a sustainable truce.
He underscored Egypt’s commitment to working toward security and peace in the region, preventing renewed military escalation in Gaza and ensuring the continued and unhindered flow of humanitarian and relief assistance.
Abdelatty furtther voiced Egypt’s support for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, headed by Ali Shaath, as a temporary transitional framework tasked with managing the enclave’s daily affairs and meeting the basic needs of its residents.
All drives would help stabilize conditions during the interim period, paving the way for the Palestinian Authority to fully resume its responsibilities in Gaza, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2803, he said.
The minister renewed Egypt’s backing for the formation and deployment of an international stabilization force to monitor the ceasefire, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, and oversee Israel’s withdrawal from areas it controls within the enclave.
Abdelatty strongly condemned ongoing Israeli decisions and violations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, particularly recent measures by the Israeli government aimed at entrenching what he described as an illegal annexation scheme, including changes to land registration and administration procedures, facilitating the seizure of Palestinian property, transferring municipal powers in Hebron to Israeli forces, enabling demolition of Palestinian buildings, expanding settlements, confiscating land and tolerating settler violence.
For their part, Fattouh and Ahmad lauded Egypt’s historic and pivotal role in supporting the Palestinian cause.
They commended the efforts undertaken by Egypt, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire, facilitate humanitarian aid delivery, and bolster the steadfastness of the Palestinian people. (MENA)
