Dr. Said Abu Ali, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories, received an Italian delegation representing the Association of Italian Organisations for Solidarity and International Cooperation at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States.
The delegation comprised members of the Italian Parliament and the European Parliament, in addition to journalists and representatives of the Italian civil society. The visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt included field visits to Arish and the Rafah crossing, aimed at gathering firsthand information and testimonies concerning the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
During the meeting, the delegation was briefed on the grave humanitarian conditions confronting the Palestinian people in both the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, resulting from the ongoing Israeli war of extermination, the comprehensive blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, and the continued obstruction by the occupation authorities of the entry of humanitarian assistance, including life-saving medical and relief supplies.
Dr. Abu Ali underscored the deep-rooted bonds of friendship and the historical ties that unite the Arab and Italian peoples. He expressed appreciation for the principled stances of free voices across the globe, particularly those within Italian society, who have expressed their unequivocal rejection of the Israeli aggression, their solidarity with the Palestinian people, and their call for an immediate cessation of hostilities. He further stressed the need to uphold justice and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people—foremost among them the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state along the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the principles of international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative.
His Excellency further stated the significance of the delegation's visit in bearing witness to the harsh and untenable conditions endured by the Palestinian population, particularly in the besieged Gaza Strip. He drew attention to the persistent policies of the Israeli government, which continue to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid and persist in implementing displacement plans and the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure and livelihoods, using starvation, deprivation, and impoverishment as tools in a prolonged campaign of annihilation that has now entered its 19th month.
In conclusion, Dr. Abu Ali expressed hope that this important and valued visit would contribute to shaping the Italian government's position, through intensified pressure on the occupying power to cease its aggression, lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip, and ensure unimpeded humanitarian access. He voiced his aspiration that the visit would reinforce efforts to advance a just, durable, and comprehensive peace in the region, through the recognition of the State of Palestine in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and Italy's reaffirmed commitment to the two-state solution—an essential pillar for ensuring peace, security, and stability in the region.
