CHANGES IN HEADLINE, LEDE, ADDS KUWAITI STATEMENT
By Rania Abu Shamala
ISTANBUL (AA) - Jordan, Qatar, Palestine and Kuwait on Tuesday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusations that weapons are being smuggled to the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, through the Egyptian border.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry expressed its rejection of Netanyahu's statements about the Philadelphia Corridor -- a demilitarized area along Egypt’s border with Gaza -- indicating 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 cease-fire 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 considers the accusations a “condemnable incitement and an escalation that aggravates the serious tension in the region.”
Netanyahu renewed his refusal Monday to withdraw Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor, and claimed that the corridor was a “lifeline” for Hamas to rearm.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed “full solidarity with the brotherly Arab Republic of Egypt and its rejection of the statements made by the Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation, 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,” it 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 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 cease-fire 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 United States that aim to reach a cease-fire in Gaza."
Cairo accused Netanyahu of “trying to involve Egypt to divert Israeli public opinion and obstruct a cease-fire and hostage swap deal, as well as hindering mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the US.”
*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this news story from Ankara