Egypt has renewed its position rejecting the Israeli military presence on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing.
Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Badr Abdel Aati said during a press conference with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken: “Egypt will not stop any effort to stop the bloodshed of Palestinians until the war in Gaza stops,” stressing that “Egypt’s position is firm regarding the Salah al-Din axis and the Rafah crossing, and we are committed to the status quo that existed before October 7.”
The Egyptian Foreign Minister confirmed that there is “identity” in the positions between his country and America regarding the importance of a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and the entry of aid.
Regarding what happened in Lebanon, Abdel-Ati said, in response to a journalist’s question about the possibility of Egypt reconsidering its relations with Israel or its role in mediation after the attack in Lebanon: “Egypt’s position is clear and well-known: We are against any unilateral policies that undermine the stability and unity of Lebanon.”
He stressed “Egypt’s condemnation of the attack by blowing up Hezbollah’s pagers in Lebanon,” warning that “such practices could lead to a ‘regional war,'” adding: “We stand in solidarity with the Lebanese government and people and we have condemned and continue to condemn any targeting of Lebanese sovereignty, and any unilateral moves towards escalation are condemned by us.”
Abdel-Ati said: “Such a dangerous escalation could lead to a comprehensive regional war that will leave nothing in this region. Egypt and the United States are concerned with working to prevent escalation and reject such unilateral policies so that we achieve the most important goal and do not distract attention from it, which is the ceasefire (in Gaza).”
The Egyptian Foreign Minister said: “We agreed and there was a convergence of positions on the urgent need to cease fire in the Gaza Strip, stop the bloodshed of Palestinian civilians, and quickly reach an agreement stipulating the release of all hostages and prisoners and full access to aid.”
Abdel-Ati said, “He stressed with Blinken the danger of the region slipping into a regional war.”
The Egyptian Foreign Minister confirmed that he discussed with Blinken the issues related to the situation in Sudan and Libya, in addition to the issue of the Renaissance Dam. He also discussed with his American counterpart the Horn of Africa region file and the importance of clearing the region of all weapons of mass destruction, most notably nuclear weapons.
Last update: September 18, 2024 – 23:35
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2024-09-19 03:30:43