File Photo: Egyptina Foreign Ministery
In a statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that this decision represents a glaring violation of UN Security Council resolutions and relevant international law and confirms the lack of legality and legitimacy of settlement activities in all its forms.
The foreign ministry described the decision as "an unacceptable provocative act coinciding with the holding of Jerusalem Support Conference," which took place in Cairo on Sunday.
The Jerusalem Support conference, which was hosted by the Arab League, was attended by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II along with high-level representation from Arab, regional and international bodies.
During the conference, President El-Sisi called "on the international community and peace partners not to give in to the current political stalemate and work together to implement the two-state solution and provide appropriate conditions for resuming the peace process between Palestine and Israel.”
President El-Sisi also stressed Cairo's rejection and condemnation of any Israeli measures to change the historical and legal status quo of the city of Jerusalem and its sanctities.
"Egypt repeats its warning of the dire consequences that may result from a breach of this or an attempt to pre-empt or impose a fait accompli that negatively affects the prospects for final status negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides," El-Sisi said.
The foreign ministry also called in its statement for the immediate cessation of all unilateral Israeli actions, including home demolitions as well as a halt to the arrests and raids that target the Palestinian people and their properties.
The statement came in response to the Israeli national security minister’s recent decision for the immediate demolition of dozens of Palestinian homes in the Israeli-annexed sector of Jerusalem.
The statement warned of the consequences of the settlement decisions in inflaming the already tense situation in the occupied territories, adding that these activities may bring about an increase in violence with dire repercussions on the security and stability of the entire region.
The only way to calm the situation situation is through Israel’s termination of its actions that violate both international law and human conscience, the statement said.
This would prepare the ground for the return of negotiations with the aim of reaching a solution to the Palestinian cause on the basis of legitimate international resolutions, it added.
This solution would be based on comprehensive and just peace where the Palestinian state resides independently adjacent to Israel in peace and security, the statement concluded.
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