The Head of the General Authority of Civil Affairs and Fatah Central Committee Member, Minister Hussein AlSheikh, met with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Mr. Sameh Shoukry, reaffirming the need to set forth the political horizon necessary for the establishment of the Palestinian state.
During their press conference today, Monday, at the Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah, AlSheikh said that the Egyptian Foreign Minister, received by President Mahmoud Abbas, came bearing a message from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi confirming the withstanding position of the Arab Republic of Egypt and its absolute support for our people’s pursuit to freedom and independence, and the establishment of their independent state with the capital in East Jerusalem.
AlSheikh added: “We deeply thank the Arab Republic of Egypt, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and all Egyptian state institutions that played a vital role and partnered with regional and international parties to stop the Israeli aggression against our people. He continued: “This aggression which has left mass destruction and tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. This aggression against our people in Jerusalem and in the West Bank as well. “
He emphasized that the two parties share the same vision, both confirming that there can be no security, stability, or peace without political prospects of ending the occupation and establishing the Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem, in accordance with international legitimacy.
Minister AlSheikh praised the position of the Egyptian President and thanked him, on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, for his generous donation of $500 million for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, noting that all the necessary measures will be planned with the regional and international parties of interest, to accelerate the reparation of what the occupation forces had destroyed in the Strip and Jerusalem.
In turn, Shoukry said: “ I carry a message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to President Mahmoud Abbas, a message of complete solidarity with the Palestinian people and with the Palestinian National Authority, and all that is done in close coordination between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the National Authority and its leader, President Mahmoud Abbas, in order to establish an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
And the Egyptian Foreign Minister added: “This is the common goal of all brotherly Arab countries, to work in full coordination with the Palestinian National Authority to achieve this.”
He continued: “We have recently witnessed unjustified escalation and assault on holy sites and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the events in Sheikh Jarrah and continuous efforts to change the Palestinian identity of Jerusalem, which led to the escalation of military operations and the suffering endured by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”
Shoukry added, “We have made every effort possible to contain this matter with consideration of the Palestinian people, in an effort to exempt them from the pain of military operations. We stress the need to devise the proper political horizon to etablish the Palestinian state. Stability and security for Palestine and the entire region are not feasible without realizing political prospects and plans first.”
He stressed the coordination and consensus between Egypt and the Palestinian Authority in support of all means to establish the state, further confirming Egypt’s support of the Palestinian people, whether in the West Bank or Gaza Strip.
He said: “We will provide humanitarian aid through the Rafah crossing, and we will coordinate with all those who contribute in this regard. We plan to carry out the operations of reconstruction in full coordination with the Palestinian National Authority.”
Shoukry added, “Given the recent developments, we hope to see international action and attention. Recent statements indicate that there is international interest in the issue, and that must be translated to a clear plan to restore the political process, to reach a permanent and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue that guarantees the full rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among which is the establishment of their independent state.”
He affirmed that Egypt will maintain cooperation and coordination with the National Authority to ensure stability and peace, and will work intensively and sincerely to achieve this goal.
