Dr. Badr Abdel Aati, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptians Abroad, held a phone call with Jonathan Powell, the British National Security Advisor, on Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations and exchange views on regional issues of mutual interest. According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdel Aati expressed serious concern over the arrest of Egyptian citizen Ahmed Abdelkader in London on the evening of August 25. He requested a prompt clarification of the circumstances and reasons behind the arrest and expressed eagerness to learn the investigation results and expedite his release. The minister tasked the Egyptian embassy in London to communicate with the relevant British authorities to clarify the arrest details, provide consular services to Abdelkader, and work towards his swift release.

The call also covered the overall bilateral relations between the two countries and the intention to elevate them to a strategic partnership level to deepen cooperation across various fields. On the regional front, both sides exchanged views on the grave developments in the Gaza Strip. Minister Abdel Aati condemned the ongoing blatant Israeli violations of international humanitarian law, including targeting journalists, medical and humanitarian workers, and the unjustified Israeli incursion into Ramallah. He affirmed Egypt’s firm rejection of continued Israeli crimes inside Gaza and the obstruction of humanitarian and medical aid, which has led to an unprecedented catastrophic deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, approaching famine. He stressed the necessity for the international community to assume its responsibilities to end these dangerous practices and actively intervene to stop the Israeli war on Gaza.

The Foreign Minister welcomed the announcement by several Western countries, including the United Kingdom, of their intention to recognize the State of Palestine on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September. He noted that expanding the path of recognition of the independent Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 lines is the only way to achieve sustainable security and stability for all peoples in the region.