Head of the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the UN in New York Ambassador Osama Abdel-Khalek (Photo: Al-Ahram)
In his speech before the Security Council, Abdel-Khalek spoke of the situation in the Middle East and Palestine's request to become a member of the United Nations, stressing that Palestine meets all the criteria needed to make it qualified to join the UN.
“Egypt reaffirms that it strongly rejects any Israeli efforts to escalate the situation regionally and open new fronts of war in the Middle East to divert the world's attention from its barbaric war against the Palestinians in Gaza and the human suffering it inflicted," he said.
Abdel-Khalek also condemned Israel's attacks on Syria and Lebanon.
“Israel is not the policeman of the region and has no right to attack others under any pretext,” he said, rejecting all calls to escalate regionally and urging all parties in the region to exercise utmost restraint.
"We demand the Security Council to issue a resolution banning the export of arms to 'Israel' and to begin holding it accountable for the crimes it has committed," Abdel-Khalek told the UNSC on Thursday.
"Egypt has chosen peace and will support it despite all obstacles. Hence, Egypt will continue its mediation efforts in cooperation with Qatar and the United States to halt the war in Gaza and release the captives,” he told the council.
Furthermore, he reiterated Egypt’s long-standing demand to reach an immediate ceasefire in the Israeli war on Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid into the strip.
Egypt also reiterates its complete rejection of any military operation in Palestinian Rafah, Abdel-Khalek said, citing the UNSC Resolution 2720.
He warned that peace and stability in the Middle East will remain elusive until the Palestinian issue is resolved.
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