Ashraf AboArafe
On January 4, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry received Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen and Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, members of the US Senate Appropriations and Foreign Relations Committees, as part of a regional tour in the region.
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Minister Shukri stressed during the meeting the strategic relations between Egypt and the United States of America, noting Egypt’s aspiration to strengthen all aspects of relations between the two countries, and stressing the importance of intensifying consultation and coordination to deal with the current international and regional challenges. .
The official spokesman added that Minister Shukri reviewed the Egyptian position on developments in the situation in Gaza, and the contacts carried out by Egypt at the political and humanitarian levels, stressing the importance of taking into account the time element in dealing with the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the priority and inevitability of reaching an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire. Fire, in a way that effectively contributes to dealing with the humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip, introducing aid, and opening the political space to support efforts to reach a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution.
On the other hand, Ambassador Abu Zeid revealed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, during his meeting with the American side, reaffirmed Egypt’s position rejecting any attempts or measures that push the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip towards leaving the Strip, drawing the attention of the two American senators to the importance of the United States taking – It has international weight and influence on Israel – from the procedures and positions that prevent the realization of this scenario, explaining that the ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid in sufficient quantity that meets the needs of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, is the practical measure that prevents the displacement scenario.
For their part, the two US senators stressed their appreciation for the Egyptian efforts made to deal with the political and humanitarian repercussions of the crisis, reviewing the efforts they are making within the US Congress to contain the worsening crisis and its dangerous humanitarian repercussions. The two senators thanked the Egyptian government for its efforts in implementing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and the medical and relief assistance that various Egyptian authorities provided with great generosity during the recent period. They also expressed the United States’ appreciation for the important role that Egypt played in facilitating the release of American hostages in Gaza.
