President of Republic Before Cairo Peace Summit: “I Hope That This Summit Will Quickly Contribute To Remedying the Catastrophic Situation in the Gaza Strip and Accelerate Efforts Toward a Two-State Solution.”

His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, the President of the Republic, affirmed that the violence and disasters observed in the Gaza Strip and the region are only an inevitable consequence and a stigma of the central problem which undermines its security and stability for decades due to the failure to uphold the right of the Palestinians to establish a sovereign state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In a speech before the Cairo Peace Summit, held on 21 October in the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency said that what defenseless civilians are being exposed to is contrary to all values and all principles and contradictes the foundations of human consciousness. 

Here is the text of His Excellency’s speech: 

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, 

Peace be upon his noble Prophet, 

Excellency President Abdel Fattah al Sissi, 

Majesties, Excellencies, Highnesses, 

Gentlemen, Ladies, 

First of all, I extend my sincere thanks to His Excellency President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi for his valuable initiative in convening this summit in response to the exceptional circumstances that the Gaza Strip is going through and its destructive repercussions on the region today and in the future.

The current situation in the region is catastrophic in every way. What defenseless civilians are exposed to contradicts all values and principles and conflicts with the foundations of human conscience: the destruction, the siege, and the blatant crimes against humanity that it witnesses, including the Al-Mamadani Hospital in Gaza, which represents one of the most horrific images.

The persistence of this situation portends complete chaos in the Middle East as a whole, the outcome of which cannot be predicted, nor the extent of its devastating effects on the region, as a whole, and on the entire world.

The seriousness of the current situation urgently calls for a firm response from everyone and the implementation of all possible efforts to remedy it.

It is necessary to quickly find safe corridors to deliver emergency humanitarian aid and re-secure basic services, such as water, electricity, medicine, and fuel.

It is also necessary to work to establish an immediate ceasefire, which guarantees the fluidity of humanitarian aid movements and provides the opportunity to work toward the restoration of security and stability.

The violence and disasters witnessed in this region are nothing more than an inevitable outcome and a stigma of the central problem that has undermined its security and stability for decades, namely the failure to uphold Palestinian rights to establish a sovereign state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

It is time for everyone to be convinced that no one in this region will enjoy lasting peace or security except to the extent that others enjoy it.

Peace, like security, is not obtained by winning a battle or a war because its continuity depends on the involvement of everyone. Therefore, we, as well as the international community as a whole, must work seriously, with determination and with sincere will to find a solution whereby two States, Palestinian and Israeli, would be established, living side by side, in security and peace.

The foundations of this solution are found in the resolutions of international legitimacy and in political initiatives such as the Arab initiative, without which the region will have neither security nor stability.

Hoping that this summit will contribute to quickly remedying the catastrophic situation in the Gaza Strip and accelerating efforts toward implementing the two-State solution, I wish its work every success.

Thank you, and may peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.”