Egypt: The necessity of starting a serious path to settle the Palestinian issue

Cairo (Al-Ittihad)

Yesterday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stressed the necessity of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the exchange of detainees and prisoners, the implementation of humanitarian aid, and the relief of civilians who have been displaced. Al-Sisi stressed the necessity of starting a serious path with international consensus for a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
This came during Al-Sisi’s reception, yesterday, of an American delegation that included both Senator Christopher Van Hollen and Senator Jeffrey Merkley, two senators from the Democratic Party, according to the official spokesman for the Egyptian presidency, Ahmed Fahmy.
The spokesman said in a press statement that the meeting comes within the framework of ongoing consultation between Egypt and the United States at various levels, especially in light of the current regional situation, especially in the Gaza Strip, where the American side was keen to listen to the Egyptian President’s vision of the general context of the current situation.
During the meeting, the two sides also renewed their categorical rejection of any attempts to displace Palestinians from their lands, in addition to the necessity of working to calm the situation in the region in general, in a way that consolidates the foundations of security and stability, at the regional and international levels.
In this context, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed yesterday, during his meeting yesterday with members of the US Senate, the importance of taking into account the time element in dealing with the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that Minister Shukri reviewed during the meeting the Egyptian position on developments in the situation in Gaza and the communications undertaken by Egypt at the political and humanitarian levels.
He pointed out the priority and inevitability of reaching an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in a way that effectively contributes to dealing with the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, introducing aid and opening the political space to support efforts to reach a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution.
He reaffirmed Egypt's position of rejecting any attempts or measures that push the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip towards leaving the Strip, noting “the importance of the United States, with its international weight and influence on Israel, taking measures and positions that prevent the realization of this scenario.”
He explained that “the ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid in sufficient quantity to meet the needs of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are the practical measures that prevent the displacement scenario.”
Shukri stressed the importance of intensifying consultation and coordination to deal with the current international and regional challenges.