Egypt slams Israel’s plan to ‘legalise’ settler outposts

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday condemned Israel’s decision to “legalise” settlement outposts in the occupied Palestinian territories and to build new settlement units.

In a statement, the ministry affirmed that the decision represents a “flagrant violation” of the UN Security Council resolutions and international law, which highlight the illegality of settlement activity in all its forms and manifestations.

The statement considered the Israeli announcement an “unacceptable” provocative act which coincided with the convening of a conference aimed at supporting Jerusalem in Cairo.

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The ministry warned this decision would inflame the situation in the occupied territories in a way that could lead to an increase in the scope and pace of violence, and will have dire repercussions on the security and stability of the entire region.

It called for an immediate halt to all Israeli unilateral measures, including home demolitions, arrests and raids targeting the Palestinian people and their property.

Egypt affirmed that the only way to calm the situation is to stop practices that violate international laws, and to prepare the atmosphere for a return to the negotiations table with the aim of reaching a solution to the Palestinian issue on the basis of international legitimacy and achieving just peace in which an independent Palestinian state lives side by side with Israel.

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