Arab Countries Condemn Netanyahu's Accusations Against Egypt As Hindering Ceasefire Efforts

ISTANBUL, Sept 4 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Jordan, Qatar, Palestine, and Kuwait condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's accusations on Tuesday that weapons are being smuggled to the Palestinian resistance group Hamas through the Egyptian border, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry rejected Netanyahu's statements about the Philadelphi Corridor—a demilitarised area along Egypt’s border with Gaza—calling them “baseless allegations aimed at obstructing the mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States (US) to achieve a swap deal leading to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”

It confirmed its “full solidarity with Egypt in confronting all Israeli claims.”

The ministry rejected “all claims promoted by Israeli officials in futile attempts to justify the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the occupied West Bank” and deemed the accusations “condemnable incitement and an escalation that exacerbates the serious tension in the region.”

Netanyahu renewed his refusal Monday to withdraw Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor. 

Meanwhile, the Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed “full solidarity with Egypt and its rejection of the statements made by the Israeli Prime Minister, through which he tried to use Egypt's name to distract Israeli public opinion and obstruct joint mediation efforts aimed at a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of hostages and detainees.

“The Israeli occupation's approach based on an attempt to falsify facts and mislead world public opinion by repeating lies will ultimately lead to the demise of peace efforts and the expansion of violence in the region,” the ministry said.

It stressed the need “to strengthen regional and international efforts to oblige Israel to immediately end its brutal aggression on the Gaza Strip, in preparation for addressing the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Strip.”

The Palestinian presidency also condemned "statements made by Netanyahu aimed at justifying the continuation of the aggression against our people."

It expressed appreciation for "the Egyptian role in opposing the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land."

“The Palestinian-Egyptian borders are sovereign borders," it added, as it rejected the presence of Israeli forces in the Philadelphi Corridor or at the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza.

The Palestinian presidency praised "Egypt’s ongoing efforts to achieve security and stability in the region," and valued "the efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and Jordan to secure a ceasefire and end the Israeli aggression against our people, including the comprehensive and immediate withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and preventing the displacement of our Palestinian people from Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem."

Kuwait joined the Arab countries' solidarity with Egypt in the face of Netanyahu's remarks against Egypt.

In a statement, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry accused Israel of trying "to hinder joint mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the US that aim to reach a ceasefire in Gaza."

Cairo accused Netanyahu of “trying to involve Egypt to divert Israeli public opinion and obstruct a ceasefire and hostage swap deal, as well as hindering mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the US.”

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU