The "Conference of Research Centres and Strategic Thinkers to Confront Attempts to Liquidate the Palestinian Cause" focused on developing strategies to counter efforts to undermine the Palestinian cause, primarily through the forced displacement of Palestinians.
Organized by the National Working Group to Counter Palestinian Displacement Plans, the conference coincided with Sinai Liberation Day amid Israel's escalating war on Gaza, which has killed over 51,000 Palestinians and internally displaced more than 90 percent of the 2.3 million population.
It also comes as Israel escalates its ongoing assault in the occupied West Bank and incursions into other Arab lands, including Syria and Lebanon.
Attendees of the conference included Ambassador Mohamed El-Orabi, chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and former foreign minister; Major Generals Yasser Selim and Osama Ibrahim, heads of the Armed Forces Strategic Studies Centre; and Khaled Okasha, director of the Egyptian Centre for Thought and Strategic Studies, among others.
In its final statement, delivered by Major General Nasr Salem, a hero of the 1973 October War, the conference called for stronger Arab cooperation and a unified stance in support of the Egyptian-Arab reconstruction plan.
The statement also urged Arab League members to empower a smaller group to negotiate with US President Donald Trump's administration, outlining the security implications of Palestinian displacement from the Gaza Strip as a step toward reviving the political process.
Moreover, it called for moving beyond ceasefire discussions and the so-called "day-after" questions that Israel uses to undermine the Palestinian cause.
Attendees at the conference of research centres and strategic thinkers will confront attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause.
In tandem, attendees stressed the need to revive the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which offers Palestinian statehood in exchange for addressing Israel’s key security concerns, a significant priority for the Israeli public and its international allies.
They also underscored the importance of collaboration among think tanks and strategic experts to support UN resolutions, end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, and achieve a two-state solution, deeming them essential for both regional stability and Egyptian national security.
Voices from the conference
The conference opened with remarks by Dr. Ayman Abdel-Wahab, head of the organizing group and director of the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.
Abdel-Wahab emphasized the urgency of coordination among think tanks to address national challenges, particularly the threat posed by Palestinian displacement to Egypt and the wider region — a key issue driving the formation of this working group.
Building on this, Amr Moussa, Egypt’s former foreign minister and former secretary-general of the Arab League, warned that Israel’s actions threaten the international order, and that their acceptance by world powers signals a collapse in the value of international law.
He added that Israel’s current government is unfit for peace negotiations, and that internal reform in Israel is essential for meaningful Arab-Israeli dialogue.
Turning to the future of Palestinian resistance, Dr. Amr El-Shobaki, advisor at the Al-Ahram Centre, argued that nonviolent resistance may be the most viable path forward, especially in light of what he deemed as the weakening of armed groups like Hamas since October 2023.
He also stressed the importance of Egyptian support for the political role of the resistance and for strengthening the Palestinian Authority to overcome internal divisions.
In this context, Dr. Tarek Fahmy, assistant to the president of the National Centre for Middle East Studies, asserted that Hamas will remain a central actor in the Palestinian political scene, adding that "the group is pursuing strategic goals that may go beyond the scope of Arab mediation."
He added that, despite this, Egypt remains the most influential player in the Gaza equation.
In parallel, Dr. Rascha Ragheb, Executive Director of the National Training Academy, highlighted the need to unify the Palestinian narrative among youth and promote a consistent media strategy, utilizing informal channels to support the cause.
Meanwhile, Major General Dr. Ahmed Farouk, advisor to the National Centre for Studies and general coordinator of the group, presented a working paper outlining Israeli plans for Palestinian displacement, noting that several elements are already in effect.
In this context, Major General Dr. Wael Rabie, advisor to the Armed Forces Strategic Studies Centre, warned that Israel’s displacement efforts and territorial expansion are part of a long-term strategy, stressing that any effective response must be based on this understanding.
Major General Mohamed El-Keshki, a former Assistant Minister of Defence, stressed that any plan excluding Palestinian rights will fail, supporting the call by former Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Nabil Fahmy to revive the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.
The call was widely supported, including by Major General Ayman Abdel-Mohsen, a member of the Egyptian Senate, who warned that a united Arab position is no longer optional but a pressing necessity, as Israeli violations spread to Syria and Lebanon.
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