Egypt's Foreign Minister and Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the reopening of all crossings with the territory, allowing the unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid. Abdelatty made the call at the second ministerial meeting of the trilateral consultation mechanism between Egypt, Jordan, and Japan, held on Monday, September 23, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meeting focused on the latest developments in the Palestinian issue, and Abdelatty commended Japan's commitment to coordinating and consulting with Egypt and Jordan within the framework of the trilateral consultation mechanism on the Palestinian issue.
He expressed Egypt's appreciation for Japan's unwavering support for the two-state solution and its commitment to upholding this principle, thanking Japan for its votes in favour of recent UN resolutions on the Palestinian issue. These included the UN General Assembly resolution adopting the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences arising from Israel's construction of a wall in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the UN Security Council draft resolution calling for full membership of the State of Palestine in the United Nations. Abdelatty condemned Israel's "intransigent approach" and warned against further escalation and expansion of the conflict, which he said could "drag the region into a series of confrontations and violence on various fronts, further complicating the situation." He reiterated Egypt's rejection of the continued occupation of the Gaza Strip, the closure of the Rafah crossing, the displacement of Palestinians from their lands, and the legalisation and expansion of settlements in Palestinian territories. Abdelatty highlighted Egypt's ongoing efforts to rally international support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also emphasised the need to grant full UN membership to Palestine and support efforts to increase international recognition of the Palestinian state. He commended Japan's support for the Palestinian people in the humanitarian and economic spheres, noting that the current situation and the severity of the humanitarian challenges in the Gaza Strip necessitate increased Japanese funding allocated to the Palestinian side and to UNRWA, which bears the brunt of responding to the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The ministers discussed trilateral cooperation to provide support to the Palestinian Authority. Abdelatty expressed Egypt's readiness to provide all necessary support to contain the repercussions of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and to stand with the Palestinian people during their plight. The ministers agreed to continue consultations and coordination among them to serve the common interests of the three countries and advance efforts to achieve security and stability in the region.
