Failure to reach solution to Palestinian cause due to absence of Israeli, int’l community’s political will: Egypt’s FM

CAIRO – 3 March 2023: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the failure to reach a solution is due to the absence of the political will on the part of Israel and the international community.

Shoukry made the remarks on Friday during a dialogue session entitled "From the Mediterranean to the Arabian Sea: A Region of Opportunities", which is held in New Delhi, India.

The world community has not been fair in handling human and political rights of the Palestinian people, Shoukry said, noting that this further complicates the situation and fomented extremism on both sides.

He reiterated the importance of establishing an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Egypt will continue to act to solve this conflict, Shoukry said.

Earlier today, Egypt condemned in the strongest terms the “inciting statements” of a minister in the Israeli government, in which he called for the "erasing" of the Palestinian village of Hawara.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for wiping out the Palestinian village of Hawara, saying as it was translated by NBC News: “I think the village of Hawara needs to be erased. I think that the state of Israel needs to do it. God forbid that regular people should do it.”

Egypt said in a statement on Friday that these statements are “dangerous and unacceptable incitement to violence, contrary to all laws, customs and moral values.” These statements lack the responsibility that any official holding an official position should have.”

Egypt called for the necessity of putting an end to provocative or inciting actions against the Palestinian people, and to unilateral measures to achieve calm between the two sides.

Calming down the situation paves the way for the resumption of the peace process on the basis of the principle of the two-state solution and the resolutions of international legitimacy, the statement continued.

“This is the only way to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the region, and to establish an independent Palestinian state on the borders of June 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the statement continued.

The Israeli Minister’s comments came after hundreds of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in the village of Hawara, killing a Palestinian man and injuring others besides burning vehicles and other properties.