Egypt Condemns Extremist Statements by Israeli Finance Minister

Egypt strongly condemned the extremist statements made by Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli Finance Minister, calling for Israeli sovereignty and settlement expansion in the West Bank. 

In a statement issued by Foreign Ministry, it added that such actions represent a blatant violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and all relevant UN Security Council resolutions, in addition to the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice regarding the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

"Egypt affirms that these irresponsible and extremist statements by a member of the Israeli government clearly reflect Israel's unwillingness to adopt a peace-oriented approach in the region, the absence of an Israeli partner capable of making courageous decisions to achieve peace, and a persistent commitment to policies of arrogance. Such policies are the same ones that have led the region into the current cycle of conflict," the statement read.

"These extreme statements starkly contradict the international community's stance, which calls for ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," it added.

Moreover, Egypt stressed its rejection of such inflammatory statements that incite extremism and violence, reaffirming the international responsibility to protect the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to self-determination, which is the only practical solution to end the conflict in the region and break free from the cycle of violence and destruction.

Egypt also warned against continuing on a path of escalation and extremism aimed at prolonging and intensifying the conflict.