Egypt’s PM affirms support to Palestinian statehood in meeting with President Abbas

CAIRO – 15 February 2025: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has reaffirmed Egypt's support to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and statehood based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Madbouly confirmed this unwavering position during a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday, held on the sidelines of the 38th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa. The prime minister is representing President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the ordinary session.

During the meeting with Abbas, Madbouly emphasized Egyptian-Palestinian coordination to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

Abbas expressed his gratitude for Egypt's steadfast support and conveyed his appreciation for President El-Sisi's supportive stance on Palestinian rights.

Abbas also shared his anticipation for the upcoming Arab summit scheduled for February 27, hoping it will result in a unified position supporting Palestinian rights.

 

The Palestinian cause, recognized as the central Arab issue since 1948, is currently facing critical challenges amid threats from the US administration to take control of Gaza during the ongoing Israeli war, which has persisted since October 2023 but is currently halted due to a ceasefire.

At a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in February, President Donald Trump stated, “The US will take over the Gaza Strip … and turn (it) into a development project that could be the ‘Riviera of the Middle East,’” with “the world’s people living there.”

If implemented, Trump’s plan could extinguish hopes for the long-awaited and globally advocated two-state solution, allowing Israelis and Palestinians to coexist peacefully in separate states.

In response, Abbas firmly rejected the US plan, affirming that “the Palestinian people will not renounce their land, rights, or sacred sites.” He reiterated that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine, alongside the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which have been occupied since 1967.

The Arab League, comprising all 22 Arab countries, warned that Trump’s proposal is “a recipe for instability.” Meanwhile, the European Union stated that Gaza “is an integral part of a future Palestinian state.”

Cairo also announced it will host an emergency meeting for Arab leaders on February 27 to “address the critical developments regarding the Palestinian cause.”