Egypt rejects any act that targets Arab, Islamic, and Christian identities of Jerusalem

CAIRO – 2 August 2021: Egypt affirms its position towards the Palestinian cause, rejecting any action that would target the Arab, Islamic and Christian identity of Jerusalem and its holy site, said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Monday during a meeting with Mahmoud Al-Habbash, the Palestinian Chief Justice, and the Palestinian President's advisor for Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations.

In an official statement of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Shoukry also voiced Egypt's rejection of the change to the existing historical and legal situation in Jerusalem, affirming Cairo's continuous efforts to revive the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations to reach a comprehensive and just settlement that would lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Shoukry was briefed on the latest developments related to the situation in the Palestinian territories, the escalation and violations in the city of Jerusalem, and Israel’s continuous attempts to impose a fait accompli and change the historical and legal status of the city.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Supreme Court postponed its ruling regarding the evacuation of four Jerusalemite families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem.

The court was expected to issue its final decision in the case today, but the session ended in a stalemate.

The court judges proposed a settlement that defines  the four Palestinian families as "protected tenants" and would not be able to evict them for decades to come. In return, the Israeli settlers asked the families to acknowledge their ownership of the land and the houses, a proposal that was totally rejected by the families.