The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, confirmed that revenge against the civilian population of Gaza will not bring security to the Israelis, and will contribute to escalating the situation, calling for the urgent need to reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, and to open the political horizon for Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

Aboul Gheit noted, during a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following their talks today, Monday, that the destruction of the two-state solution and the strangulation of any effort for peace, the siege of the Palestinian Authority, and the continued settlement and annexation of land without interruption are factors that cannot be overlooked today.

He added, "We have repeatedly warned that extremist Israeli policies represent a ticking time bomb that deprives the region of opportunities for stability, and those who want to see the situation from one perspective are mistaken in reading the situation in its entirety."

He addressed the fact that the absence of a negotiation track is the main reason for the deterioration of the situation, and what is required is to revive a serious negotiating process based on the two-state solution, under international sponsorship and with reference to the relevant UN resolutions, in order to end the occupation and establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He expressed his appreciation for Russia's balanced position in the current crisis raging in the Middle East, indicating that it was agreed during these consultations that stopping the escalation is a priority in order to protect civilian lives and prevent the situation from deteriorating into something more dangerous.

He pointed out that the Arab League values the Russian position and agrees that the problem did not start yesterday, and the current situation cannot be separated from the historical context, which is the continuation of the occupation and the elimination of any future horizon for the Palestinian people to achieve their political aspirations in an independent state along the borders of June 4, 1967."

Regarding the recent threats made by the Israeli Defense Minister towards Gaza, Aboul Gheit said that this is not the first time we see Israel behave in this manner, as this is the sixth war around Gaza, and there are many killings, bloodshed, and destruction of buildings affecting thousands of families.

He affirmed that Western positions focus on this event while avoiding the causes of the current situation in Palestine, adding that there is a need to return to a peace process that leads to the establishment of two states living side by side in security and stability.

He pointed out that if the Israeli position continues, this will not be the last war in Gaza or around it.