Egypt rejects forced displacement of Palestinians amidst Israeli expansion

CAIRO - 14 November 2024: Egypt has condemned recent comments by Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich advocating Israeli sovereignty and settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced these remarks as a stark violation of international law and United Nations Security Council resolutions, and as contrary to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.

Egypt emphasized the need for global responsibility to protect the Palestinian people’s rights, particularly their right to self-determination, as essential for resolving regional conflict. Cairo warned that policies of escalation could prolong and intensify the cycle of violence and instability.

Egyptian political leaders have reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to opposing forced displacement tactics by Israel, recently underscored during the Arab-Islamic summit held in Riyadh. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reiterated Egypt's stance in defending the region's stability and supporting Palestinian rights. He emphasized Egypt’s unwavering support for a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, aligning with international resolutions.

President El-Sisi also warned against allowing the conflict to escalate into a broader regional crisis, urging for international cooperation to find political solutions that would prevent further instability.

President El-Sisi underscored Egypt’s ongoing efforts to broker ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, emphasizing Egypt's collaboration with regional and global stakeholders to prevent military escalation and to mitigate the humanitarian impact of the ongoing violence. Egypt remains steadfast in its commitment to protect civilians and prevent further degradation of the humanitarian situation.

Engineer Hazem El-Gendy, a member of the Egyptian Senate, highlighted Egypt’s consistent support for Palestinian rights and rejection of forced displacement or demographic alteration in Palestinian territories. El-Gendy also criticized the international community’s inaction in addressing violations against Palestinian civilians, particularly in Gaza.

President El-Sisi condemned any attempts to neutralize the Palestinian cause through forced displacement, stressing that Egypt’s position on Palestine remains a central, uncompromising issue.

Gamal Abu El-Fetouh, another Egyptian senator, stated that Egypt’s opposition effectively countered Israeli plans for forced displacement, which threatened to create a second Nakba, a mass displacement of Palestinians.

President El-Sisi’s actions have blocked Israeli efforts to forcibly remove Palestinian civilians or transform Gaza into an uninhabitable zone. He also condemned Israel’s military actions, which have destroyed a significant portion of Gaza’s infrastructure and caused severe civilian casualties.

Abu El-Fetouh warned of a critical turning point for regional and international stability, emphasizing that continued Western support for Israeli military actions without decisive action against violations is worsening the conflict. He noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to achieve his strategic objectives despite a year of intense military action, indicating that a peaceful resolution may be the only viable path forward.

El-Gendy praised President Sisi’s commitment to supporting Lebanon amid escalating conflicts that have weakened its infrastructure. Egypt’s backing of the Lebanese Armed Forces underscores the recognition of Lebanon’s stability as critical in maintaining regional balance.