Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi proposed on Friday that a potential Palestinian state could be demilitarized and temporarily overseen by an international security presence to ensure security for both the state and Israel.
During a joint press conference in Cairo with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Sisi expressed readiness for the demilitarization of the proposed state.
He suggested the possibility of deploying forces such as NATO, United Nations, Arab, or American troops until both the nascent Palestinian state and Israel achieve security guarantees.
Sisi emphasized that achieving a political resolution based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state, has remained elusive.
Regarding the security situation in the Gaza Strip after Israel’s military operation against the Palestinian group Hamas, Arab nations have rejected the idea of an Arab force providing security in the region.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi highlighted concerns that entering Gaza amid the aftermath of Israel’s offensive could result in the area becoming uninhabitable.
Safadi emphasized the reluctance of Arab states to intervene in Gaza, fearing the perception of being seen as adversaries and being responsible for rectifying the aftermath of Israel’s actions.
