Egypt urges Israel to end its conflict with Palestine & ensure regional stability

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, on Sunday, held a telephonic conversation with his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid wherein he urged the zionist regime to end their conflict with the Palestinians. During the phone call, the Egyptian leader emphasised the need to create a “political horizon in parallel with a stable climate that secures this horizon, and in a manner that consolidates the pillars of stability in the region”. Earlier in May, Egypt, which shares a border with the beleaguered Gaza Strip, brokered a peace pact between the conflicting parties ending an 11-day war. 

In addendum, the phone call also touched upon the topic of Egypt’s effort to rebuild Palestinian territories in the aftermath of the conflict that killed over 200 people and obliterated nearly 450 buildings including schools, hospitals and residential compounds. Notably, Cairo had pledged US$500 million for the reconstruction efforts of Gaza. However, it was later reported by Al Jazeera that the majority of the funds were directed to clearing the rubble rather than rebuilding. 

“The phone call also tackled efforts exerted in the framework of reconstruction and the provision of assistance and development support to all the occupied Palestinian territories, in coordination with the Palestinian National Authority, which entails coordinating efforts in order to alleviate the burden of the brotherly Palestinian people,” according to the ministry’s statement. 

Six-day war and Siege of Gaza 

Following the six-day war in 1967, Israelis occupied the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Golan Heights and much of the Sinai Peninsula. Subsequently, the Jews commenced the construction of settlements. However, Palestinians objected to it and since then both the communities have been trading barbs over the occupied land. During his tenure, US President Donald Trump promised the then Israeli PM and his close ally Benjamin Netanyahu to continue building in settlements across the West Bank, so long as the construction did not expand beyond communities’ “existing footprints.”

Image: AP