​​​​​​​CAIRO

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called Tuesday for ending the occupation of Syrian territories and rejected plans for Palestinian displacement from the Gaza Strip.

Speaking during a meeting in Cairo with Ammar al-Hakim, leader of Iraq’s National Wisdom Movement, Sisi underlined the necessity of “maintaining Syria’s unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty,” the presidency said in a statement.

He also called for launching an inclusive political process embracing the entire spectrum of the Syrian people, culminating in the adoption of a constitution and the holding of elections.

The Egyptian leader also underlined the importance of ending the occupation of the Syrian territories.”

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his army would stay “indefinitely” in Syria’s buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights.

After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria.

Israel’s recent military advances in the Golan Heights, which it has occupied since 1967, have drawn condemnation from the United Nations and several Arab nations.

Palestinian displacement

Talks between Sisi and Hakim also dwelt on regional developments and their ramifications, the presidency said.

According to the statement, the two sides agreed on “the urgent need for the full, phased implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, along with the exchange of hostages and detainees, and providing access for humanitarian aid and relief into the sector.”

They also affirmed the necessity “to initiate the early recovery process and reconstruction in the sector, without displacing the Palestinian people.”

They dismissed “any proposals of displacement of the Palestinians to prevent the liquidation of the Palestinian issue and avoid any threats to the national security of countries in the region.”

Egypt is set to host an emergency Arab summit on March 4 to formulate a strong and unified Arab position on US President Donald Trump’s proposal for resettling Palestinians from Gaza.

Trump has repeatedly called for taking over Gaza and resettling its population to develop it into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.” The idea has been vehemently rejected by the Arab world and many other nations, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing.

Sisi underscored the importance of maintaining Iraq’s security and stability, confirming Egypt’s preparedness to employ all necessary capabilities to support development efforts and achieve the aspirations of the Iraqi people.”