Cairo presses for lasting ceasefire, protection of Palestinian lives

Egypt’s Permanent Envoy to the United Nations Ambassador Mohamed Idriss said there is also a need to refrain from provocations in Jerusalem and respect for the legal and historical status of sacred sites.

Idriss voiced hope that the Egypt brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians would help restore calm, pave the way to reconstruction in the Gaza Strip and open the door to revival efforts for talks to reach a genuine and serious peace for a lasting settlement to the Palestinian issue.

His remarks came during an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly, requested by the Arab and Islamic groups, to discuss the situation in the Palestinian territories.

Idriss went on to say that the Palestinian issue had suffered major setbacks in the past decades under Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, along with settlement building, the eviction of Palestinians from their homes, and the destruction of Palestinian homes and institutions.

He denounced violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians. He also lashed out at attempts by the Israelis to alter the legal and historical status in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Egypt had repeatedly highlighted the need for addressing the root causes of the problem, Idriss said.