Egypt calls for int’l community to help stop Israeli assaults against Palestinians: Munich-format meeting

CAIRO - 11 May 2023: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry called for the international community and countries sponsoring the peace process to intervene in order to stop the Israeli assaults against the Palestinian people.

In a press conference after the Munich-format meeting hosted by Berlin on Thursday, Shoukry called for these countries to work seriously in order to stop the unilateral Israeli measures that aim to eradicate the future of the Palestinian state and the two-state solution.

He also called on them to intervene in order to reverse the decline on interest on the Palestinian cause by the influential parties.

In this regard, Shoukry reiterated Egypt’s condemnation of the latest Israeli attacks against the Gaza Strip, which have killed a number of women and children.

“We affirm that the continuation of this behavior threatens regional security, undermines hopes for coexistence and stability in the region, and leads to escalation and vicious circles of mutual violence,” Shoukry affirmed.

Shoukry affirmed Egypt’s unwavering stance on the need to resolve the Palestinian cause through the peaceful means that aim to establish a viable and geographically contiguous Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“We affirm that we will continue to exert our utmost efforts to achieve this goal through direct communication between the Palestinian and Israeli sides and in the context of our joint Arab and international action,” the top Egyptian diplomat stressed.

The Munich-format meeting has constituted a chance to review the efforts made over the past period to deescalate military and field tensions in the Palestinian lands, Shoukry noted.

He added that the meeting sought to reach a common ground and open direct communication between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

The Munich-format group consists of Egypt, Germany, France and Jordan and acts as the only forum for cooperation between the European and Arab leaders to promote peace between the Israeli and Palestinian sides.

Despite Egyptian efforts to maintain de-escalation between the Israeli and Palestinian sides over the past period, Israeli forces has launched deadly airstrikes in Gaza since Tuesday, killing around 25 Palestinians, including children, according to officials.