Cairo: Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Expatriate Affairs Badr Abdelatty participated in a crucial meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee on International Action to Counter Illegal Israeli Policies and Measures in Occupied Jerusalem. The gathering was held on the fringes of the 166th ministerial session of the Arab League Council in Cairo.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Abdelatty highlighted that East Jerusalem is recognized as occupied Palestinian territory, and its final status should not be unilaterally decided or altered by the imposition of a fait accompli. He emphasized the importance of preserving the historical and legal status of significant sites such as Al-Haram Al-Sharif/Al-Aqsa Mosque and opposed any attempts to impose temporal or spatial divisions within these areas.
He reiterated the necessity of safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites, ensuring freedom of worship, and access to these locations. Abdelatty expressed Egypt's unwavering support for the Hashemite Custodianship over Jerusalem's holy sites and commended Jordan's role in maintaining the current status quo.
The Foreign Minister condemned various Israeli policies, including settlement expansion, land confiscation, and home demolitions, which affect Jerusalem's residents. He warned against the E1 settlement project's potential to disrupt the geographic continuity of Palestinian territories, which could jeopardize the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.
Abdelatty also addressed the systematic targeting of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and urged the international community to protect the agency's operations. He called on nations considering relocating their embassies to Jerusalem to rethink these plans, as they violate international resolutions.
He urged for increased Arab and international efforts to cease unilateral Israeli actions such as settlement activity and land confiscation, advocating for concrete measures to prevent the establishment of illegal realities on the ground.
Expressing concern over developments in the West Bank, Abdelatty rejected any plans for the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. He reinforced Egypt's commitment to a just and comprehensive resolution based on the two-state solution, leading to a sovereign Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Foreign Minister reiterated Egypt's role in collaborating with mediators to progress the second phase of President Trump's plan, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2803. He stressed the importance of maintaining a ceasefire and facilitating humanitarian aid, reaffirming Egypt's support for the Palestinian Authority as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.