Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty delivers his country's address at the UN General Assembly meetings in New York last month. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed that "the foremost guarantee" for the implementation of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza "is Trump himself."
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Abdelatty said that Trump "clearly stated and reaffirmed his personal commitment to carrying out the plan and achieving security, stability, and peace in the Middle East."
Abdelatty, together with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, attended a meeting with Trump last month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting brought together several Arab and Islamic leaders, including representatives from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye.
His remarks come ahead of a new round of negotiations scheduled in Cairo on Monday to discuss the first phase of Trump's plan between Israel and Hamas under international mediation. The talks will take place amid growing concerns among Palestinian factions that Israel might backtrack on its commitments.
According to Abdelatty, Trump "reiterated his pledges and conveyed his determination to achieve peace in the Middle East through messages directed to Arab and Islamic leaders during the New York meeting."
His comments align with the assessment of Arab and European diplomatic sources who say that Trump is "the only one capable of twisting the arm" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who initially agreed to the plan, including the creation of a Palestinian state, but later declared upon his return to Israel that he "has not and will not accept" such a state.
Cairo, Abdelatty noted, welcomes Hamas' response to the US initiative, describing it as "a reflection of the movement's and other Palestinian factions' sense of responsibility, as they take into account the fate of the Palestinian people and the protection of civilians."
He outlined the main "positives" in Trump's proposal, including "ending the war, rejecting annexation, and halting displacement," emphasizing that these "are essential and powerful elements that we can build upon to make the plan viable and applicable on the ground."
"The Palestinian response is a very positive step in the right direction, which we highly value. We now expect the other side, Israel, to fulfill its commitments under the plan so that both parties carry out their obligations," he added.
The FM acknowledged that certain details still require discussion and clarification within the framework of the US proposal, saying that the plan "serves as a general framework to stop the war, end the bloodshed, deliver humanitarian aid, release hostages, and return remains."
"These details," he said, "will be addressed through technical-level negotiations to create suitable conditions and an enabling environment for implementation."
He noted that the upcoming Cairo meetings would see technical and security discussions aimed at completing the first stage, which includes "the release of prisoners from both sides and the repatriation of Israeli remains as a first step, to be followed by later phases."
When asked whether Netanyahu might ignore Washington's call for an immediate ceasefire, especially after reports that at least 30 Palestinians were killed on the first day following the US request, Abdelatty replied: "We always rely on President Trump's leadership and resolve in enforcing his important plan to end this war and bring about peace. He is the only one capable of making Israel comply."
He added: "What matters now is that the Arab and Islamic worlds, along with the international community, have welcomed this plan. Our duty is to work collectively to ensure its implementation. Egypt remains in close coordination with the United States and all concerned parties to translate the plan's provisions into action."
Addressing questions about the proposed "international stabilization force," Abdelatty clarified that Egypt "does not reject the idea of deploying such a force; on the contrary, it supports it, but insists that several key conditions must be met: its mandate must be clearly defined, it must be established by a UN Security Council resolution, and its functions must be explicitly outlined."
The force should "support the Palestinian police, who are responsible for maintaining security and enforcing the law inside Gaza, as in the West Bank. It should also strengthen national unity between the two regions, since Gaza and the West Bank together form the foundation of the future Palestinian state. Egypt cannot accept their separation," he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Abdelatty tied Egypt's potential participation in such a force to the inclusion of the United States, saying: "We are talking about a multinational force in which the US must play a key and effective role. Eventually, there should also be a presence in the West Bank to reinforce the organic link between the two territories."
He explained that "security arrangements should primarily be handled by the Palestinians themselves in managing their daily affairs, while the international force would assist the Palestinian police, provide external border security, and offer training and technical support."
Such a deployment, he added, should be temporary - "a transitional period determined by the UN Security Council, with the goal of enabling the Palestinian Authority to take full control of Gaza and reinforce unity between the West Bank and the Strip."
When asked about the issue of Hamas' weapons, Abdelatty described it as "a purely Palestinian matter to be resolved internally." He noted that Hamas has agreed to Trump's plan, and this issue will be handled within the Palestinian framework.