Egypt's Primer Minister Mostafa Madbouly speaks during a United Nations Summit on Palestinians at UN headquarters during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. AFP
Madbouly made his remarks at the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Issue and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held Monday in New York.
“I affirm today, more than ever, that there will be no stability in the Middle East without a just and comprehensive solution that fulfills the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he added.
Madbouly asserted that the two-state solution “is not merely a political choice or a moral duty, but a security necessity” for the Middle East.
He emphasized that the only way to achieve a secure and stable region is by ensuring the Palestinian people’s rights to freedom, dignity, and independence.
The Egyptian premier added that Israel’s security will not be achieved through military force or by attempting to impose a “fait accompli.”
He warned that ignoring Palestinian rights will lead to further escalation and instability, creating an environment ripe for more violence and extremism.
Madbouly also restated Egypt’s condemnation of Israel's ongoing military attacks on the Palestinian territories and across the region.
Additionally, he denounced as a “dangerous precedent” a recent Israeli attack that occurred while Qatar was hosting a round of mediation to end the violence in the Gaza Strip.
Practical steps needed!
PM Madbouly highlighted the New York Declaration as a historic moment for the international community to reaffirm its commitment to a Palestinian state.
The declaration, endorsed on 12 September by the UN General Assembly, calls for "collective action to end the war in Gaza, to achieve a just, peaceful and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the effective implementation of the Two-State solution."
The Egyptian premier called for practical, concrete steps to build on these developments.
He expressed Egypt's hope that the conference would lead to the “immediate, broad, and unconditional recognition” of Palestine by all nations that have not yet done so.
Additionally, he urged the international community to relaunch “a genuine peace process with a clear timeline to achieve a just and sustainable solution based on recognized international resolutions.”
Gaza Reconstruction
Madbouly reaffirmed that Cairo would continue to make every effort to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, adding that a ceasefire and an end to the bloodshed of Palestinians are both possible and necessary.
He highlighted a report from the United Nations Independent International Investigation Commission, stating its findings confirmed Israel had committed “the crime of genocide, both material and moral, against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.”
"I affirm that Egypt categorically rejects any attempts to displace the Palestinian people and liquidate their cause, which amounts to the crime of ethnic cleansing," Madbouly said, reiterating Egypt's position on the long-standing issue.
He added that once a ceasefire is reached, Egypt would host a reconstruction conference for the Gaza Strip to mobilize funding for an Arab-Islamic reconstruction plan.
The plan, coordinated with the Palestinian government, is intended to help Palestinians remain on their land and recover from the losses caused by the aggression.
Furthermore, he called on the international community to contribute to this early recovery and reconstruction effort, describing the matter as “an integral part of any serious move to transform the two-state solution into a tangible reality.”
The two-state conference in New York, attended by a host of world leaders, comes amid growing global outrage and condemnation of the Israeli two-year genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and Tel Aviv’s increasing steps to annex the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
It also coincides with growing regional and international recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the June 1967 borders.
Ahead of the summit, 151 UN member-states have recognized the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state, including UK, Canada and Australia.
During the summit, France, Portugal, Malta, Luxembourg and Monaco formally recognized the Palestinian state.
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