In a world of shifting geopolitical tides, which often blur the lines between morality and realpolitik, President Abdel Fatah El Sisi has drawn a resolute line in the sand. His recent statement rejecting any forced displacement of Palestinians underscores Egypt’s steadfast commitment to justice and regional stability.
Standing during a joint press conference with Kenyan President William Ruto, Sisi reaffirmed what Egypt has long championed: a just resolution to the Palestinian issue through the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. His unequivocal stance comes at a time when global concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is mounting, and speculative reports of forced deportation have raised alarm bells across the region.
“We can never cede or compromise on these constants,” Sisi declared, making it clear that Egypt’s position is not up for negotiation. He emphasised that Egypt will not be complicit in any scheme aimed at displacing Palestinians from their homeland. His words resonate deeply, not only within Egypt but across the Arab world and beyond, where the plight of Palestinians has been a decades-long saga of displacement, conflict, and broken promises.
President Sisi’s rejection of forced displacement is not just a political statement—it is a reaffirmation of Egypt’s national security doctrine. He rightly pointed out that any attempt to expel Palestinians would not only be an act of injustice but also a direct threat to regional security. The destruction in Gaza over the past 15 months, he warned, seems to be aimed at making it uninhabitable—a grim echo of past efforts to erase Palestinian identity and presence.
Egypt has historically played the role of a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and President Sisi’s call for a renewed political process is both timely and necessary. He underscored the importance of implementing the ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, ensuring humanitarian aid reaches those in desperate need, and setting the stage for a sustainable resolution.
It is particularly notable that President Sisi expressed confidence in U.S. President Donald Trump’s ability to broker peace. While past American administrations have grappled with the complexities of the two-state solution, Egypt believes that real progress can only be made through serious and committed engagement from the international community.
The Arab world, along with much of the international community, acknowledges the longstanding injustices against the Palestinian people. The solution, as President Sisi aptly put it, is not expulsion but coexistence—two states living side by side in peace and security.
In a region where rhetoric often outweighs action, Egypt’s unwavering position serves as a moral compass. The message is clear: Palestine’s future cannot be dictated by forced displacement. Egypt refuses to be a party to any injustice. And as President Sisi warned, any attempt to forcibly remove Palestinians from their lands would not only be met with resistance from his government but from the Egyptian people themselves.
History has taught us that displacement without resolution only fuels future conflict. If the international community is serious about lasting peace, it must heed Sisi’s call: the path forward is through justice, not forced displacement.
