- Aboul Gheit highlighted Egypt’s commitment to defending Palestinian rights
CAIRO: Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing a ceasefire deal in Gaza for personal and political gain.
Aboul Gheit highlighted Egypt’s commitment to defending Palestinian rights, and warned that recent actions by Israel, particularly Netanyahu’s claims, risk undermining Egypt’s “pivotal role in the region.”
Earlier, the Israeli leader criticized Egypt for its alleged failure to halt the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.
However, Aboul Gheit rejected Netanyahu’s accusations, describing the comments as “mere distractions aimed at prolonging the (Gaza) conflict for personal and political gain.”
Gamal Roshdy, a spokesman for the secretary-general, quoted Aboul Gheit saying that Israel’s reasons for opposing a ceasefire deal had been exposed.
Aboul Gheit said that Cairo’s opposition to the presence of Israeli forces in the Philadelphi Corridor — a narrow strip of land along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt — is supported by Arab nations.
“It is rooted in the rejection of the reoccupation of Gaza, and holds both legal and political significance,” he said.
The Arab League chief reiterated the call for international pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire, emphasizing the need to save lives and prevent a perilous escalation in the region.
