Egyptian president says peace requires Palestinian state

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared on Saturday that lasting peace and stability in the Middle East are impossible without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, stating that popular normalization with Israel cannot occur until its occupation ends. He delivered these remarks during the inauguration of Egypt’s new State Strategic Command headquarters in the New Administrative Capital near Cairo.

Speaking at the major military facility, el-Sisi emphasized that Egypt, drawing on its history as the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, believes the fundamental solution to regional conflicts is a comprehensive and just settlement. He said such an agreement must resolve the Palestinian issue by establishing an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international resolutions.

"There can be no lasting peace, no genuine stability, and no popular normalization without a just peace that ends the occupation, puts an end to injustice and aggression, restores rights to their owners, and guarantees security for all," el-Sisi stated. He argued that only this path would allow the region's peoples to live in...