FM, German counterpart discuss regional developments over phone
Dr. Badr Abdel Atty, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, held a phone call with Mr. Johann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister, on Thursday, July 10, as part of supporting the close relations between Egypt and Germany and discussing the latest regional developments.
Ambassador Tamim Khalaf, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Minister Abdel Atty valued the close relations between the two friendly countries, stressing his aspiration to continue raising the level of cooperation in all fields to achieve the common interests of the two peoples.
He praised the role of German companies in supporting development projects in Egypt, and welcomed German support for Egypt in various European institutions.
The official spokesperson added that Minister Abdel Atty briefed his German counterpart on the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the negotiations to resume the ceasefire and release a number of hostages and prisoners. He emphasized the need to spare the lives of the Palestinian people and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to the Strip.
In this context, he reviewed the arrangements Egypt is making to host the Early Recovery and Reconstruction Conference in Gaza immediately after a ceasefire agreement is reached.
The Foreign Minister stressed that creating a political horizon to achieve a just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue and restore the Palestinian people's legitimate rights, including their right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, represents the cornerstone of peace and stability for all peoples of the region.
Both ministers also addressed the need to consolidate the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran. Minister Abdel Atty emphasized the importance of resuming negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program, pointing out to the pivotal role of the E3 group in addressing concerns related to the program and supporting the negotiating process to reach a settlement that contributes to de-escalation in the Middle East.
read more
Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685
NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria
Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO
Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided
News
Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks
News
Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank
News
Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region
News
One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid
News
Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters
News
China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier
Sports
Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer
Videos & Features
Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall
Lifestyle
Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt
Business
Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War
News
"Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence"
News
Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks
Videos & Features
Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream
Arts & Culture
Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily News Egypt
8 minutes ago
- Daily News Egypt
More US Democrats urge Trump administration to recognise Palestinian state
More than a dozen Democratic members of the US House of Representatives have signed a letter urging the Trump administration to recognise a Palestinian state, while at least one member plans to introduce a resolution supporting the move, Axios has reported. Representatives Chellie Pingree, Nydia Velázquez and Jim McGovern were the latest to sign the letter, which is being led by Representative Ro Khanna. They join nine previous signatories: Greg Casar, Lloyd Doggett, Veronica Escobar, Maxwell Frost, Al Green, Jared Huffman, Mark Pocan and Bonnie Watson Coleman. Representative André Carson, one of three Muslim-American members of Congress, has also signed the letter. According to Axios, the number of Democrats who have now signed is almost triple the number who co-sponsored a 2023 resolution from Rep. Green which affirmed 'the right of the state of Palestine to exist'. Al Green stated that he intends to re-introduce a resolution in Congress affirming Palestine's right to exist, but still needs to consult with staff on its specific wording. In their letter, the lawmakers pointed to French President Emmanuel Macron's recent pledge to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations meeting scheduled for September, a move that was heavily criticised by senior Republicans. 'We encourage the governments of other countries that have not yet recognised the state of Palestine, including the United States, to follow suit,' they wrote in the letter. Pro-Palestinian initiatives Khanna said he 'just started public outreach last week on the letter and the response has been overwhelming,' noting that more than 147 countries have recognised a Palestinian state. 'We cannot be in isolation from the rest of the free world,' he said. In a statement, Watson Coleman said: 'If we are to see an end to the war and famine in Gaza and the return of the hostages, the recognition of a Palestinian state, conditioned on the disarmament of Hamas and security guarantees for both Israel and Palestine, must be part of this process.' Lawmakers told Axios they expect similar pro-Palestinian initiatives in the coming weeks and months in response to the deteriorating conditions in Gaza. 'As you know, there will be initiatives,' one House Democrat said, noting that the situation in the region is 'so horrific you just can't ignore it.' Trump's plan The letter comes amid growing international recognition of a Palestinian state, notably from France, Britain and Canada. Even some staunchly pro-Israel Republicans and Democrats in the House have escalated their criticism of Israeli leadership in recent weeks in response to mounting evidence of famine in Gaza. The humanitarian crisis has highlighted the long-standing need to recognise the Palestinian right to self-determination. However, the United States is unlikely to follow suit, as the Trump administration has positioned the US as a close ally of Israel and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Even so, Trump has appeared to shift his tone in recent days, saying in press remarks that he is working on a plan to 'provide food' in Gaza, after questioning claims by Netanyahu that there was no famine there. 'We want to help people. We want to help them live; we want to feed them. It's something that should have happened a long time ago,' Trump said. The US President said he had spoken to his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who on Friday visited a US-backed aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), CNN reported. Operations at GHF sites have seen violence and chaos, including incidents where Israeli forces have opened fire on Palestinians. Israel has killed more than 1,383 Palestinians awaiting aid near food distribution points guarded by its troops. The United Nations and other humanitarian organisations have refused to work with the GHF, questioning its neutrality and criticising its new distribution system, saying it militarises the delivery of aid and forces Palestinians to be displaced.
See - Sada Elbalad
25 minutes ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
MSF: Israeli Forces Killed Eight, Injured at Least 77 at Zikim Crossing in Gaza
Ahmed Emam The international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has accused Israeli forces of killing eight Palestinians and injuring at least 77 others during an incident near the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza last week. According to MSF project coordinator in Gaza, Caroline Willeman, Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinians who had approached a truck carrying humanitarian aid near the crossing on Wednesday, July 30. 'We treated 77 wounded and received eight dead at a single clinic in northern Gaza following the events at Zikim,' Willeman said in a post on the organisation's account on social media platform X. She warned that current methods of aid distribution in Gaza were fueling 'chaos and massacres,' adding that food supplies in the enclave remained critically low. 'There are no signs that sufficient aid will be reaching Gaza on a regular basis,' she noted. The incident comes amid mounting concerns from humanitarian organisations over the safety of civilians attempting to access food and relief supplies in the war-torn territory, where the United Nations has repeatedly warned of acute shortages and the risk of famine. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results
Daily News Egypt
41 minutes ago
- Daily News Egypt
France Proposes Law to Accelerate Return of Colonial-Era Looted Artefacts to Africa
In a significant step toward addressing the legacy of colonial-era injustice, the French government has unveiled a new draft law that would dramatically accelerate the return of cultural artefacts looted from former colonies, especially in Africa. The bill—presented by the Ministry of Culture—aims to simplify the restitution process by removing existing bureaucratic hurdles and creating a clearer legal framework that allows for faster, more transparent repatriation of looted objects. The proposed law marks a pivotal shift in France's policy toward its colonial-era collections, many of which were amassed through acts of violence, coercion, or unequal power dynamics during periods of imperial rule. If passed, the legislation would end the requirement that each restitution be approved through separate parliamentary legislation—a time-consuming process that has slowed down the return of many contested pieces. Instead, decisions would be made via executive decree issued by the Council of State, France's highest administrative court, following a recommendation from a newly established scientific commission. This independent commission will include historians, curators, and legal experts from both France and the country making the restitution claim. The commission will be responsible for investigating the provenance of contested items and determining whether their acquisition violated ethical or legal norms, such as being taken under duress or through theft. Importantly, the draft law introduces a limited exception to France's longstanding principle of inaliénabilité (inalienability), which holds that objects in the national collections cannot be removed or sold. The law would allow such objects to be restituted if it is determined that they were acquired through illegal or unethical means between the years 1815 and 1972. These dates are not arbitrary. The year 1815 marks the beginning of early European discussions on the return of artworks looted during the Napoleonic wars, while 1972 is the year when UNESCO's Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property came into force, providing a formal international framework against the illicit trade in cultural goods. The law comes in response to increasing international pressure and growing calls for European countries to return artefacts taken during colonial rule. France in particular has faced mounting criticism, with many African governments, academics, and civil society groups urging Paris to fulfill long-standing promises of restitution. President Emmanuel Macron first signaled a new direction in French policy during a landmark speech in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in 2017, where he declared that 'African heritage cannot be the prisoner of European museums.' In the years since, France has returned 26 artefacts to Benin and handed over items to Senegal, marking a symbolic yet limited start to broader restitution efforts. If enacted, the new legislation could open the door to the return of thousands of artefacts currently held in French institutions, including the Quai Branly Museum in Paris, which houses one of the largest collections of African art in Europe. Beyond the legal mechanisms, the proposed bill also reflects a deeper acknowledgment of the need to rebuild trust and cultural partnership between France and its former colonies. It signals a readiness to confront uncomfortable aspects of colonial history and to promote a more equitable framework for cultural exchange and heritage preservation. As debates over cultural restitution gain momentum across Europe, France's draft law could set a precedent for other countries grappling with the legacy of empire. Observers say that if implemented effectively and transparently, the legislation could become a model for responsible restitution in the 21st century.
