In line with its established and acknowledged policy of promoting peace-making and peace-keeping, Egypt is now seeking to stabilise the truce with a view to forestalling the eventuality of any recurrence to violent confrontation and also to encourage a return to meaningful negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive and just settlement. In pursuance of this policy position, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri has underscored the importance of creating true prospects for peace between the Palestinians and Israelis. In remarks during talks with his Cypriot counterpart in Cairo a few days ago, Minister Shoukri emphasised that the absence of any real prospects for peace entails a risk of renewed conflict; hence the need for intensifying international efforts to re-launch negotiations at the earliest. A stabilised truce does in fact imply a favourable opportunity for the international community to move in the direction of building upon the political action that had resulted in putting a ceasefire into effect.
And there are indications that the attitude is garnering considerable understanding. “I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I’m committed to working toward it,” US President Biden said at the White House, welcoming the ceasefire brokered by Egypt and expressing thanks to President Sisi and the senior Egyptian officials for the pivotal role in bringing about the ceasefire. In Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova welcomed the Gaza truce as an important step, adding that collective action should be continued to create suitable circumstances for the resumption of negotiations. In London, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab welcomed the ceasefire announcement, noting that it represents a significant step to ending the cycle of violence and loss of civilian life.
In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters that China welcomed the truce announcement and called upon the international community to promote the resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel, and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestine issue on the basis of the two-state solution. “Good that there is now a ceasefire,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted, adding: “Now we have to deal with the causes, rebuild trust and find a solution to the Middle East conflict.” And in Brussels, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday welcomed the ceasefire agreement, urged both sides to consolidate it and stabilise the situation in the long term and stressed in a tweet that only a political solution will bring lasting peace and security to all. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed appreciation of the step and said that Israelis and Palestinians now have a responsibility to engage in a serious dialogue to address the root causes of the conflict.
In addition to acknowledging Egypt’s initiative and efforts to achieve the ceasefire, such welcoming reactions reflect a growing trend to build on the accomplishment of a Palestinian-Israeli ceasefire and move ahead in the direction of resuming meaningful negotiations. And in pursuance of its historical responsibility towards the Palestinian cause and the cause of peace in the Middle East, Egypt, as Foreign Minister Shoukri noted during meetings with King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Abbas yesterday, stands keen to maintain contacts with regional and international partners to create the momentum needed for reviving serious and constructive negotiations for achieving comprehensive and just peace.
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