President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi renewed Egypt’s position in rejection of any forced internal or external displacement of Palestinians, and decried, in particular, attempts to evict them from their homeland to Egyptian lands in Sinai.
This came during his meeting on Saturday with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, in the presence of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and senior officials of the European Commission, where they addressed ways of further strengthening the close relations between Egypt and the European Union and agreed to continue efforts to push them to broader horizons in various fields.
Presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said the meeting focused on the latest developments of the unprecedented Israeli military escalation in the Palestinian territories, with President Sisi affirming Egypt’s position on the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the protection of civilians, and ensuring the delivery of critically-needed humanitarian relief aid to Gazans who are enduring an enormous humanitarian suffering.
Sisi stressed the need for the international community to assume its responsibilities and implement the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly in this regard, reviewing the efforts made by Egypt in that context, and in receiving and treating injured Palestinians and evacuating foreign nationals. For her part, the president of the European Commission posted him on her assessment of the current developments in Gaza, and affirmed the European Union’s great appreciation of the vital role played by Egypt in this regard.
The two sides stressed that the only solution to the Palestinian issue lies in achieving a comprehensive and just peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with approved international references, with the European Commission chief stressing rejection of any attempts to force Palestinians out of their lands.