Egypt urges int'l action to end Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories

CAIRO, April 29 (KUNA) -- Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry called for serious international action to end the decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and granting Palestinian people their legitimate and indelible rights.
Minister Shoukry made this remark at a ministerial coordination meeting of a number of Arab and European states and the Arab League to discuss the necessary actions to support efforts aimed at implementing the two-state solution and recognize the Palestinian state, according to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum held in Riyadh.
The Egyptian minister noted that the current delicate circumstances the Palestinian cause is witnessing under the Israeli war against Gaza, and the escalating tension in the West Bank, makes it incumbent upon international parties to assume their legal and human responsibilities to find a serious political horizon to establish the two-state solution and bring just and comprehensive peace to the region.
He affirmed the necessity for international parties to recognize the Palestinian state, stressing that the two-state solution is the only path to ensure achieving peace between Palestinians and Israelis, prevent the conflict from escalating, and establish stability and coexistence among the peoples of the region.
Minister Shoukry emphasized that the continuation of the ongoing situation in the occupied Palestinian territories would only lead to exacerbating the vicious cycles of violence, and that peace is the optimum option, while affirming Egypt's unwavering commitment to supporting the rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel.
The Egyptian top diplomat reiterated the same calls during a meeting earlier with UK counterpart David Cameron on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.
He called for recognizing the Palestinian state on 1967 borders and granting Palestine full membership in the United Nations.
Shoukry highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian situation endured by the Palestinians in the strip, censuring Israel's continued bombing and restrictions on the aid entering the strip.
He also urged the UK to send a message to Israel to stop this war, open all land crossings, and abandon policies of collective punishment and displacement against Palestinians.
Shoukry also voiced Egypt's concern over the potential risks of the conflict expansion, citing the current escalation in the West Bank, southern Lebanon, and the Red Sea.
He said Egypt hopes the UK will pressure Israel to refrain from assaulting the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Such an attack "would represent a turning point in the conflict," the statement quoted Shoukry as saying.
Egypt's top diplomat welcomed the British government's decision to impose sanctions on some settlers who were proven to be involved in acts of violence against the Palestinians.
This is "a message that confirms international rejection of such violations, which will only lead to further escalation and widening of the circle of conflict," he noted.
Cameron, for his part, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. He also emphasized his support for the unity of the West Bank and Gaza in any future Palestinian state. (end) esm.ibi