Egypt's FM Says Fair Political Settlement for Palestine Key to Peace

Ahram Online
Saturday 1 Feb 2020

The Egyptian foreign minister's speech came during an urgent meeting requested by Palestine to oppose the controversial US MidEast plan

Achieving a fair political settlement for the Palestinian cause is one of the keys to restore peace, Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry said during an emergency meeting by Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League in Cairo amid the US-proposed MidEast plan dilemma.

Shoukry reiterated the necessity of restoring the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, pointing out that developments in the crisis reaffirm Egypt's steadfast position on a number of points in the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which include the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

He said the comprehensive resolution for the Palestinian cause will be through establishing the Palestinian state, stressing the necessity of a clear Palestinian position with a vision.

The Egyptian foreign minister's speech came during an urgent meeting requested by Palestine to oppose the US' MidEast plan, which has sparked criticism since it was announced by US President Donald Trump last week.

Last week, Trump unveiled the peace proposal, which would allow Israel to annex all its West Bank settlements, that the Palestinians and most of the international community view as illegal, as well as the Jordan Valley, which accounts for roughly a fourth of the West Bank. It also includes further aspects which Palestinians consider as limiting their statehood.

The proposal was criticised by several countries, yet several key Arab leaders, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, backed the US initiative in a surprising shift in foreign policy towards the Palestinian cause.

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