Egypt and France Reject Calls for Palestinian Displacement

Abu Dhabi: Egypt and France emphasised their rejection of any calls for displacing the Palestinians from their land, and stressed the urgent need to end hostilities in the Gaza Strip as a necessary step toward implementing the Arab plan for recovery and reconstruction. According to Emirates News Agency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, Official Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency, said that during a joint press conference at Al-Ittihadiya Palace, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and the visiting French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the significance of reconstructing the Gaza Strip in coordination with France, in addition to holding a conference for the reconstruction efforts in the war-torn enclave following the ceasefire deal in Gaza. He added that the two Presidents signed a joint declaration, elevating relations between Egypt and France to the level of Strategic Partnership. President El-Sisi and the French President also witnessed the signing ceremony of a number of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, MoUs, between the two countries. El-Sisi further said he and Macron signed a joint declaration to raise Egyptian-French relations to the level of strategic partnership, which, he added, is an important step toward the promotion of joint cooperation as well as tapping new horizons. He noted that the discussions addressed regional and international developments, foremost among them the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. El-Sisi emphasised Egypt and France's commitment to preserving Syria's unity and territorial integrity, stressing the importance of an inclusive political process during the country's transition.