Egypt's FM Condemns Israeli Settlement Expansion in West Bank

Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad, Badr Abdelatty, held a phone call on Saturday with Hussein Al-Sheikh, Vice President of the State of Palestine, to discuss the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tamim Khallaf said the call took place as part of ongoing consultation and coordination between Egypt and Palestine over the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.

The discussion covered efforts to implement the requirements of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan. These include ensuring full and sustainable humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, deploying the International Stabilisation Force to monitor the ceasefire and secure the delivery of aid, and enabling the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to begin its work from inside the enclave.

According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, these steps are intended to support stability in Gaza and prepare the ground for moving to later phases of the political process, until the Palestinian Authority resumes its full responsibilities.

The call also addressed serious developments in the West Bank. Abdelatty condemned the increasing pace of settlement activity and continued Israeli violations in East Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning that such actions could damage prospects for peace and stability in the region.

The Egyptian foreign minister reaffirmed Cairo’s firm support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the right to establish an independent state along the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Abdelatty also stressed the need to enable the Palestinian Authority to carry out its responsibilities and preserve the unity of Palestinian territories in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. He said this remains a central basis for any just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue.

For his part, Al-Sheikh expressed appreciation for Egypt’s central role in supporting the Palestinian cause and its continued efforts to stop escalation, restore calm and ease the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people.

He also stressed the importance of maintaining coordination and consultation with Egypt during the coming period.