Egypt's Sisi: Even if Israel normalized ties with all Arabs, peace unattainable without establishment of Palestinian State

Egypt Today

17-05-2025

CAIRO – 17 May 2025: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said, on Saturday that even if Israel succeeds in normalizing relations with all Arab states, a lasting, just, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East will remain unattainable without the establishment of a Palestinian state in accordance with international law.
In his speech at the 34th regular session of the Council of the League of Arab States (AL), at summit level, President Sisi said that through the Cairo Summit- that convened in 2023 after the outset of the Israel war on Gaza- Arab states delivered a clear and decisive message to the international community. They affirmed that ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is the only viable path to breaking the cycle of violence that continues to destabilize the region and threaten the security of all its peoples without exception.
President Sisi added: 'from this standpoint, I call upon President Trump—as a leader committed to advancing peace—to exert all necessary efforts and apply effective pressure to achieve an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This should serve as a prelude to launching a serious political process, with the United States acting as mediator and sponsor, ultimately leading to a final settlement that secures lasting peace—mirroring the historic role the U.S. played in facilitating peace between Egypt and Israel in the 1970s.'
Here is the full speech of President Sisi's full speech at the summit:
'In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful'
Your Excellency, President Abdul Latif Rashid,
President of the Republic of Iraq, Chairman of the current session of the Council of the League of Arab States at summit level,
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses,
the leaders of Arab States
Mr. Ahmed Abul Gheit,
Secretary General of the League of Arab States
Esteemed attendees,
May Allah's peace and blessings be upon you
I would like to commence my speech by conveying my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my esteemed brother, His Excellency President Abdul Latif Rashid, and the brotherly people of Iraq for the generous hospitality, warm reception and gracious sentiments extended to us since our arrival in Baghdad. I offer my best wishes for Your Excellency's complete success in your chairmanship of the current session.
I would also like to extend gratitude to my brother, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain and President of the previous session, in recognition of his tireless efforts in support of the causes of our Arab nation and in bolstering joint Arab action.
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses,
It is with a sense of historical significance that our summit convenes today, as our region grapples with intricate challenges and unprecedented circumstances. This moment urgently demands a unified stance and resolute willpower from all of us, leaders and peoples alike. We must stand united in word and deed, in order to safeguard the security of our nations and preserve the rights and resources of our esteemed peoples.
It is demonstrably clear to all that the Palestinian cause is navigating one of its gravest and most perilous junctures. For over a year and a half, the Palestinian people have been subjected to systematic atrocities and unspeakable violence, aimed at their obliteration and the annihilation of their presence in the Gaza Strip. The sector has endured widespread devastation unconducive to life, in a deliberate endeavor to forcibly displace its inhabitants under untold horrors of war.
The Israeli war machine has reduced everything to utter ruin, sparing neither child nor elder in its ruthless advance. It has weaponized starvation and the deprivation of essential healthcare, employing destruction as a deliberate strategy. This has resulted in the internal displacement of nearly two million Palestinians within the Strip, an act of flagrant defiance against all international laws and norms.
And in the West Bank, the machinery of occupation relentlessly executes its oppressive policies of killing and destruction. However, the Palestinian people remain steadfast, resilient against defeat, and firmly committed to their legitimate, inalienable right to their ancestral land and homeland.
Since October 2023, Egypt has significantly escalated its political efforts to halt the bloodshed of the Palestinian people, undertaking tenacious endeavors to achieve a ceasefire and ensure unfettered access for humanitarian aid into the strip. Egypt has persistently urged the international community, foremost among them the United States, to take vigorous steps to end this humanitarian catastrophe.
I would not miss this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, who successfully brokered a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip in January 2025. Yet, this agreement was shattered by renewed Israeli aggression, deliberately aimed at aborting any prospects for stability.
However, Egypt, in close coordination with its mediation partners, Qatar and the United States, continues its unrelenting efforts towards achieving a cessation of hostilities. These endeavors recently culminated in the release of American-Israeli hostage, Eden Alexander.
In pursuit of a resolution, Egypt also took the initiative to convene the Extraordinary Cairo Arab Summit on March 4, 2025. This summit unequivocally affirmed the unshakable Arab stance rejecting the displacement of the Palestinian people, and adopted a plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, without the displacement of its inhabitants. This plan has garnered broad support at the Arab, Islamic, and international levels.
In this regard, let me reaffirm our intention to convene an international conference for the early recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip immediately upon the cessation of hostilities.
At the Cairo Summit, the Arab nations conveyed a definitive message to the world, reiterating that ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian State, along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, constitute the sole and critical imperative to extricate the region from the devastating cycle of violence that is relentlessly ravaging it, jeopardizing the stability of all its peoples, with no exception.
I reiterate with absolute conviction that even if Israel succeeds in forging normalization agreements with all Arab states, a durable, just, and comprehensive peace in the Middle East will remain fundamentally unattainable without the establishment of a Palestinian State, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy.
From this standpoint, I call on President Trump, in his recognized capacity as a leader committed to the establishment of peace, to employ all necessary efforts and leverage pressures to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This crucial step would pave the way for the initiation of a substantive political process, under his auspices as both mediator and guarantor, ultimately leading to a final settlement conducive to enduring peace, reminiscent to the historic role undertaken by the United States in facilitating peace between Egypt and Israel in the 1970s.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In addition to the Palestinian cause, our Arab nation is encountering existential challenges that necessitate our unified and unwavering stance to address them with unyielding determination.
Sudan is facing a pivotal and critical juncture, one that severely compromises its unity and stability. This requires urgent action to ensure a ceasefire, secure the delivery of humanitarian aid, and safeguard Sudan's territorial integrity and national institutions. This is in addition to rejecting any endeavors seeking to establish parallel governments to the legitimate authority.
With regard to Syria, it is crucially important to leverage the lifting of US sanctions for the benefit of the Syrian people, ensuring that the transitional phase is comprehensive, without exclusion or marginalization. Preserving the Syrian State and its unity, combating terrorism and preventing its resurgence or export, alongside the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation from the Golan and all occupied Syrian territories, are paramount.
In Lebanon, the sole path to safeguarding stability lies in the commitment to the full implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 1701. This is in addition to the complete withdrawal of Israel from southern Lebanon, the unequivocal respect for Lebanon's sovereignty over its territories, and the full empowerment of the Lebanese army to fulfill its responsibilities.
Regarding Libya, Egypt is persistent in its earnest endeavors to achieve a comprehensive political reconciliation, in accordance with the mutually agreed references. This is to be realized through a Libyan political track conducive to simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections, enabling the Libyan people to choose their leadership and ensuring that Libya remains for its people, concurrent with the departure of all foreign forces and militias from Libya.
On Yemen, the protracted conflict has endured for too long. The time has come for this nation to restore its balance and stability through a comprehensive settlement that brings an end to the prolonged humanitarian crisis and preserves Yemen's unity and legitimate institutions. Here, I want to underscore the imperative to ensure the restoration of normal maritime traffic in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea, foster an environment conducive to stability and seek solutions that serve the best interests of our peoples.
We also remain steadfast in our support for Somalia, affirming our categorical rejection of any attempts to undermine its sovereignty. We call upon all regional and international partners to support the Somali government in its efforts to preserve the country's security and stability.
Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Your Highnesses,
Finally, I tell you with utmost sincerity and honesty: the responsibility entrusted to us all and the momentous historic moment in which we find ourselves today necessitate that we prioritize the paramount interests of our nation above any other consideration. It is incumbent upon us to engage in concerted action, working hand in hand, to resolve the conflicts and address the critical issues that afflict our region, primarily the Palestinian cause, a central issue, wherein neutrality in matters of justice and compromise on what is right are intolerable.
Let us strive toward solidifying our collaboration, let us forge our unity into a source of power and our integration into a catalyst for growth, grounded in our faith that our Arab peoples deserve a future commensurate with the grandeur of their past and the glory of their civilization. Let us advance with steadfastness and boundless determination, and let this summit serve as a transformative and decisive stride, ushering in a more radiant and enduring future for our Arab nation.
May Allah grant us all success for the benefit of our Arab peoples
May Allah's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you