Egypt Voices Strong Backing for Syria's Territorial Integrity

(MENAFN) Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has reiterated Egypt's unwavering support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while condemning repeated Israeli airstrikes on Syrian soil. This reaffirmation came during a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani in Cairo on the sidelines of the 164th session of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level.

In a post on the US-based social media platform X, Syria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the two ministers had met to discuss ongoing developments in Syria. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry highlighted that the discussions focused on the evolving situation in the war-torn country.

Abdelatty stressed Egypt's commitment to "the unity and sovereignty of the Syrian state and its national institutions," emphasizing the critical need for a "comprehensive political settlement that strengthens stability in Syria and the wider region."

The Egyptian official also condemned Israel’s persistent airstrikes on Syrian territory, calling them "a blatant violation of international law and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement." He further called for "the necessity of respecting Syria’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity."

The 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, which concluded the October 1973 war and the subsequent War of Attrition, was intended to stabilize the situation between Israel and Syria. It was signed on May 31, 1974.

Abdelatty and Shaibani previously met at the Oslo Forum in June. Despite the new Syrian administration, established late December 2024, posing no direct threat to Israel, the Israeli military has repeatedly breached Syrian airspace, carrying out strikes that have resulted in civilian casualties and significant damage to military infrastructure, vehicles, and weaponry.

For the past seven months, Israeli forces have maintained a presence on Syria’s Mount Hermon, marking the furthest extent of Israel’s military reach from its borders. In addition, Israel controls a 15-kilometer-wide security buffer zone in southern Syria, where more than 40,000 Syrians are living under occupation. Since 1967, Israel has occupied much of the Syrian Golan Heights and extended its control after the events that led to the ousting of President Bashar Al-Assad in late 2024.

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