10 diplomatic steps Egypt has taken since Jerusalem violence

CAIRO – 13 May 2021: Egypt has condemned the escalation in Jerusalem and called for calm since the outbreak of the tensions, embarking on diplomatic efforts to de-escalate. Below are some of the statements and steps by Egypt regarding the issue.

1 – April 24: Egypt condemned the hostile acts carried out by Israeli extremist Jews against Palestinians in the Old City in East Jerusalem, leaving scores of Palestinians wounded.

2 – April 26: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi discussed Sunday the dangerous developments in East Jerusalem, stressing the importance of halting all the Israeli provocative measures and violations.

3 – May 10: Grand Imam of Egypt’s top religious authority Al-Azhar said the world remains “disgracefully silent” towards the violations and “terrorism” committed by Zionists against Palestinians and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“Palestine will forever remain steadfast, and its people will continue their struggle to defend their land, honor and the Al Aqsa Mosque, the first Qibla and third holiest site in Islam,” Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb said.

4 -May 10: “There is no way to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque except to put it under the popular protection of all Muslims by continuous influx of Muslims from all over the world to Al-Aqsa Mosque to visit and protect,” Presidential Religious Advisor Sheikh Osama al-Azhary said.

5 – May 10: Shoukry and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan reviewed the latest developments in Jerusalem during a phone conversation.

The two sides reaffirmed their rejection of any illegal practices by the Israeli occupation forces to undermine Palestinians' legitimate rights, stressing that all parties must honor the norms of international law.

6 – May 10: The Muslim World League (MWL) and Grand Mufti of Egypt Shawki Allam strongly denounced the Israeli aggression against Aqsa Mosque.

The Mufti called for the necessity to stop all practices that violate the sanctity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and attack worshipers. Secretary General of the MWL Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Issa said that these practices are violent and provoke Muslims around the world.

7 – May 10: Shoukry received a phone call from the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland, during which the UN official posted the foreign minister on his recent contacts with Israeli officials to restore calm in Palestine.

During their conversation, Wennesland stressed that he was keen on making that call with the Egyptian foreign minister shortly before a consultation session at the UN Security Council to discuss the serious developments in East Jerusalem.

8 – May 11: Shoukry took part in the extraordinary ministerial meeting convened by the Arab League to examine moves aimed at facing Israeli attacks on Jerusalem.

“Our brothers in Jerusalem have not got the opportunity to feel the spirituality of the Holy Month because they are fighting an existential battle in defense of their sacred places, and homes against new Israeli attacks targeting their rights in the land, that is their birthplace," the minister said.

9 – May 13: In a way to deescalate the clashes between the Palestinians and the Israeli, Shoukry spoke to his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi.

Shoukry stressed the need to cease the Israeli attacks on the Palestinian territories, and the importance of working to spare the peoples of the region further escalation and resorting to military means.

10 – May 13: In two phone calls with Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany Heiko Maas and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, Shoukry called for the necessity to resume peace efforts for establishing an independent Palestinian state on the border of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.