Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said Israeli settlement activities on occupied Palestinian territories jeopardize security and stability in the region, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported on Saturday.
The Foreign Ministry also urged the Jewish state to halt its announced building of new 800 housing units and government premises in Palestinian territories.
Israeli expansion in Eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank “is a clear threat to the two-state solution, which the international community agreed to achieve,” read a statement by the foreign ministry.
“Egypt outlines that the attempts to separate Eastern Jerusalem from its surrounding Palestinian territories in the West Bank, and the endeavors to Judaize it create insurmountable obstacles on the way to just and comprehensive peace between both Palestinian and Israeli sides,” the statement added.
The ministry said that the Egyptian Ambassador in Tel Aviv Atef Salem has communicated the message to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
On Thursday, the Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur, Richard Falk, said that around 600,000 Israeli citizens had already transferred in Palestinian territories and that an estimate of 200,000 had settled in East Jerusalem.
Falk also urged the international community to boycott 13 companies benefiting from business with Israeli settlements.
The Foreign Ministry also urged the Jewish state to halt its announced building of new 800 housing units and government premises in Palestinian territories.
Israeli expansion in Eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank “is a clear threat to the two-state solution, which the international community agreed to achieve,” read a statement by the foreign ministry.
“Egypt outlines that the attempts to separate Eastern Jerusalem from its surrounding Palestinian territories in the West Bank, and the endeavors to Judaize it create insurmountable obstacles on the way to just and comprehensive peace between both Palestinian and Israeli sides,” the statement added.
The ministry said that the Egyptian Ambassador in Tel Aviv Atef Salem has communicated the message to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
On Thursday, the Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur, Richard Falk, said that around 600,000 Israeli citizens had already transferred in Palestinian territories and that an estimate of 200,000 had settled in East Jerusalem.
Falk also urged the international community to boycott 13 companies benefiting from business with Israeli settlements.
‘Egypt to stand by the Palestinians’
Meanwhile, Islamists criticized Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi for re-opening the Egyptian embassy in Israel. But during Mursi’s Eid al-Adha speech on Wednesday, he said that “without declaring war against anyone,” Egypt would do its best to support Palestinian in their struggle against Israeli occupation.
“We will never accept any assault or siege on the Palestinian people. Egypt provides Palestine with all its needs such as food and clothing,” the Cairo-based Ahram Online quoted Mursi as saying.
“The blood of Palestinians is our blood, their life is our life and their pains are our pains. However, supporting Palestine does not mean that we will declare war against anybody,” he added in reference to Israel. Mursi did not name Israel directly, thereby maintaining the same pattern he has followed in his speeches since his inauguration as Egypt president, Ahram said.
Egypt, the first Arab country to recognize Israel, is trying to balance between its peace agreement with the Jewish state and its pro-Palestinian stance. On Thursday, it helped to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and armed Palestinian groups in Gaza.
“We will never accept any assault or siege on the Palestinian people. Egypt provides Palestine with all its needs such as food and clothing,” the Cairo-based Ahram Online quoted Mursi as saying.
“The blood of Palestinians is our blood, their life is our life and their pains are our pains. However, supporting Palestine does not mean that we will declare war against anybody,” he added in reference to Israel. Mursi did not name Israel directly, thereby maintaining the same pattern he has followed in his speeches since his inauguration as Egypt president, Ahram said.
Egypt, the first Arab country to recognize Israel, is trying to balance between its peace agreement with the Jewish state and its pro-Palestinian stance. On Thursday, it helped to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and armed Palestinian groups in Gaza.
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