Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The Egyptian ambassador to Brussels criticized the West's position on the war between Israel and the Palestinian resistance, accusing the West of siding with Israel, according to Politico magazine.
In an interview conducted with him at his residence in Brussels, the chief Egyptian diplomat in the European Union capital, Badr Abdel Ati, confirmed that his country would not accept Palestinian refugees fleeing Gaza.
Abdel Ati told Politco: “We will not allow the liquidation of the Palestinian cause and the occurrence of another Nakba - referring to the mass uprooting of Palestinians in the war to create Israel in 1948 - at the expense of neighboring countries, whether it is Jordan or Egypt.” According to what was reported by the Youm7 website in Cairo.
The Egyptian diplomat said that public opinion in the Middle East has a harsh assessment of the West's position on the conflict, noting that double standards were the reason for undermining the West's reputation in the region.
He added: “Public opinion in the entire region is shocked and extremely disturbed by this biased position, and there is a feeling of conviction among public opinion in our region that the lives of Westerners are more precious than the lives of Palestinians.”
Abdel Ati expressed his frustration at some of the speeches that were biased, although he did not name who delivered those speeches. He also warned that the repercussions of the conflict could lead to more immigrants arriving in Europe and fueling fundamentalism at the doorstep of the European Union.
He said: “Put yourself in the shoes of 10-year-old children who lose their families. What do you expect from them in the future?”
Abdel Aty stressed that hosting a second international peace conference – an idea supported by European Union leaders after intense pressure from Spain – is essential to relaunching the peace process between Israel and Palestine.
Abdel Ati, who called for a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, said: “Without solving the Palestinian issue, there will be no peace and stability in the region.”
He added that the three most urgent priorities for Egypt are an immediate ceasefire, obtaining a sustainable and unconditional flow of humanitarian and medical aid, and creating a political horizon, which means resuming talks between the two sides on the basis of internationally agreed upon standards.