Arab countries reject Netanyahu's allegations of weapon smuggling from Egypt into Gaza
Several Arab countries have dismissed Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s allegations that weapons are being smuggled to the Palestinian Hamas resistance group through the Egyptian border.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry expressed its rejection of Netanyahu's statements about the Philadelphi Corridor – a demilitarized area along Egypt’s border with Gaza – stressing they are “baseless allegations aimed at obstructing the mediation efforts undertaken by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to reach a swap deal leading to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”
It reiterated 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 said it considers the accusations to be a “condemnable incitement and an escalation that aggravates the serious tension in the region.”
In his first public address since Sunday’s mass protests that saw hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers urging a deal with Hamas for the release of captives being held in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said he will not relinquish Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor.
Netanyahu claimed the corridor is vital to ensuring Hamas cannot rearm via tunnels. “This is the oxygen of Hamas,” he said.
“No one is more committed to freeing the hostages than me. ... No one will preach to me on this issue,” he further claimed.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry also voiced “full solidarity with the brotherly Arab Republic of Egypt and its rejection of the statements made by the prime minister of the Israeli occupation."
It said that through remarks, Netanyahu "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 captives 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,” it warned.
It also 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.”
For its part, 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.”
Additionally, 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.”
Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Oman also joined the Arab countries' solidarity with Egypt in the face of Netanyahu's allegations.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Netanyahu's claims, lambasting Israel for attempting to “derail efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and perpetuate ongoing violations by Israeli forces.”
It rejected Israel's attempts to distort truth and mislead the international community about the border area between Gaza and Egypt.
The ministry went on to call for “intensified regional and international efforts to pressure Israel to end its aggression in Gaza immediately, and to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the territory.”
The Saudi Foreign Ministry also censured Netanyahu's remarks, describing them as “baseless” and part of an “ongoing attempt to justify Israel's continuous violations of international laws and norms.”
Riyadh warned that such provocative comments only undermined mediation efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.
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