Within the framework of the Middle East Research and Future Studies Center’s cultural season 2023-2024, the Center held a conference entitled (Egyptian Diplomacy and the Gaza War “Leading a Role and Assuming Responsibility”) under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa, President of Ain Shams University, and Prof. Ghada Farouk, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development, and Chairman of the Center’s Board of Directors. The conference was moderated by Dr. Hatem Al-Abd, Director of the Center.

The great journalist Helmy Al-Namnam, former Minister of Culture, Ambassador Youssef Zadeh, member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Ahmed Fouad Anwar, Professor of the Hebrew Language at Alexandria University participated in the conference. The conference was honored by the presence of an elite group of professors and intellectuals and policy figures specialized in Palestinian affairs. It also witnessed a large turnout from researchers and students in Arab and international politics of various nationalities, especially from our Palestinian brothers.

The conference was started by Dr. Hatem Al-Abd, who welcomed the distinguished lecturers, the distinguished thinkers and politicians, and welcomed the distinguished professors and researchers attending, stressing that this conference comes out of the Center’s keenness to carry out its national and Arab role, and to take the initiative to analyze the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, as Palestine is at the heart of Every Egyptian and Arab, and it will always and forever be the cause of the entire Arab nation, and Egypt, by defending the Palestinian cause, is defending its established principles and its lofty Arabism, and is assuming its pioneering role that extends throughout history in supporting its Arab brothers by all means given to it.

The speech was then addressed by His Excellency Ambassador Yousef Zadeh, who condemned the famine, displacement, and deliberate war of extermination to which the Palestinian people are exposed, the first and last goal of which is to liquidate the Palestinian cause. However, Egypt did not stand idly by, but rather moved at all diplomatic and political levels to stop the war and deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian brothers by all available means, despite the intransigence of the Israeli side, and the United States of America’s support for it heart and soul, given the Jewish lobby’s control over the circle of decision-makers in politics. American. Hence, Egypt resorted to holding several bilateral discussions, whether at the international or Arab level, and finally resorted to the International Court of Justice to convey the voice of Palestine to the world, and to show what the defenseless Palestinian people are exposed to in terms of a brutal and unequal war, and that they have legitimate rights and demands that will not be silenced about them. whatever happens. His Excellency Ambassador Zadeh also stressed the importance of adhering to the peace agreement signed between Egypt and Israel and diplomatic representation between the two sides so that Egypt can carry out its political role and mediation between the parties to the conflict. Despite all these diplomatic efforts, the situation continues to worsen in the occupied Palestinian territories in light of the intransigence of the Zionist side, the unlimited support of the United States, and the international community’s neglect.

In his speech, the great writer and former minister Helmy Al-Namnam pointed out that the Egyptian state has long and rich experience in the Palestinian issue extending back several decades, beginning with the Balfour Declaration, passing through the issue of partition and the participation of the Egyptian delegation headed by Muhammad Hassanein Heikal Pasha, then the Jewish settlers began establishing A full-fledged state for them within the State of Palestine, until the October War in 1973 proved that there is no state called Israel, but in fact it is a military base belonging to the United States of America.

The great writer Al-Namnam has confirmed that what some are trying to do today by shedding light on the Arab shortcomings and pointing the finger at this and that, the aim is to divert attention from the essence of the Palestinian issue, and to distract from it with attempts to defend and evade responsibility for what the Palestinian people are currently suffering. Therefore, we must pay attention and realize that the goal behind the current events is to eradicate the Palestinian people, whether by killing or displacement, to uproot the Palestinian issue from its roots, and from here came the keenness of the Egyptian leadership, represented by President Sisi, to adopt the principle of absolute transparency, share the opinion of the people, and inform them of the course of affairs. And emphasizing that there is no peace or security in the region for Israel without the existence of a safe, independent, and sovereign Palestinian state. Therefore, the first goal now of all efforts made must be to stop the bloodshed and ceasefire, and to unite the Arab and Palestinian ranks behind their legitimate rights, and then after that we begin to hold those who are negligent accountable and calculate the gains and losses at all levels.

During his speech, Dr. Ahmed Fouad Anwar gave a quick overview of the Israeli interior and his view of the war on Gaza. He explained that Israeli society suffers from division within itself and is highly bifurcated, and there are deep differences between the enlighteners, the secularists, and the religious, whether moderate or extremist, whose opinions vary regarding the war. On Gaza, there are supporters and opponents. His Excellency also affirmed that the Israeli state was founded primarily on Zionist racism in all its forms and intense hatred for Arabs.

Dr. Anwar added that the Israeli plans were primarily dependent on Egypt’s submission to Israeli pressures and the systematic massacres it committed against the defenseless Palestinian people to open the crossings, open Egyptian lands to Palestinian immigration, and empty the Strip of its original population. These are old plans, and what is happening now It is nothing but a reformulation of it, but all of its plans failed before the consciousness of the Egyptian people and government. Although Egypt always and forever opens its arms wide to the Arab brothers of different nationalities, it rejects the principle of forced displacement of the Palestinian people, as this will lead to the liquidation of the Palestinian cause, and the Egyptian side affirms that the legitimate alternative solution is for the Palestinian brothers to head to the Negev Desert. These are their original lands, and this is a proposal that was strongly rejected by the Israeli side, as it conflicts with its racist and political goals that aim to liquidate the Strip of its original people and implement their Zionist settlement plans, which will not be achieved for them as long as the Palestinian people stand united in the heart of one man behind their legitimate rights, and continue to stand firm in the face of Israeli tyranny, and Egypt has always been the impenetrable dam against whose walls Zionist ambitions are shattered.

After the lecturers finished their speeches, the discussion was opened for the attendees and all their inquiries were answered.

At the end of the lecture, Dr. Hatem Al-Abd presented certificates of honor to the lecturers in appreciation of their information that enriched the conference.