Egypt observes International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People

CAIRO – 1 December 2022:  Egypt observed the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Tuesday, attesting the presence of the Palestinian cause within international forums and in the global conscience, and voicing its full support for the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people in their just and legitimate demands to establish an independent state, said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement on Wednesday.

Stemming from Egypt’s historical responsibility, the Egyptian government and people stress their perpetual support of the Palestinian cause, which they regard as the central cause of the Arab nation. Egypt confirms that the fundamentals of its position towards the Palestinian cause have not and will not change, and its commitment to the cause, the demands of the Palestinian people, and the protection of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque is an original commitment, for which it would do whatever it takes.

Egypt affirmed that the Palestinian cause will always remain the top Arab cause, and without a just and comprehensive settlement on the basis of the two-state solution and the relevant international resolutions, a genuine regional stability in the Middle East is not conceivable.

Hence, Egypt stresses the necessity of putting an end to the cycle of violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, and refraining from taking unilateral measures that impinge on the just and definitive settlement of the final status issues, namely the illegal settlement activities, policies of expulsion and eviction of Palestinians in the city of Jerusalem, the modification of the demographic character of the city, and the temporal and spatial division of Al-Aqsa Mosque and its vicinity.

Stemming from its historical responsibility and commitment to uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, Egypt will continue to exert its tireless and sincere efforts to resume the peace process, and to encourage the parties to return to the negotiating table, with the support of the international community and international partners.

Within this context, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry met with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Al-Maliki, who arrived in Cairo on Tuesday, coinciding with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, to discuss the latest developments of the Palestinian-Israeli cause.

The Palestinian minister was keen to review the ongoing consultations to form the Israeli government and its potential repercussions on the future of the Palestinian cause, referring to the grave security deterioration witnessed in the occupied Palestinian territories in light of the increased and accelerated pace of acts of violence against the Palestinian people, in addition to the repeated incursions and violations targeting the holy sites, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid in a statement on Wednesday.

Minister Shoukry affirmed Egypt's deep concern regarding the developments in the occupied territories, adding that Egypt is closely following all developments on the Palestinian and Israeli arenas, Abou Zeid added.

On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Shoukry stressed that Egypt will always be supporting all Palestinian rights, especially the right of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital; and Egypt will spare no effort to employ its diplomatic capabilities towards this end.

The foreign minister highlighted Egypt's continuous efforts with the various international and regional parties to stabilize the situation, halt the violence, and break the current stalemate in the peace process, with the aim of re-launching a serious negotiation path that leads to achieving a comprehensive and just peace in accordance with the principle of the two-state solution and relevant international legitimacy resolutions. Minister Shoukry also noted Egypt's efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in view of the dire economic and humanitarian conditions they are experiencing, including providing all aspects of support for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

Ambassador Abu Zeid added that the two ministers discussed coordinating efforts at the regional and international levels in order to bring the Palestinian cause back to international attention, coordinating efforts with partner Arab countries and international parties known for their support for Palestinian rights.