ع
The Egyptian foreign ministry said that Badr Abdelatty and Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed held the telephone conversation on Saturday to address the need to maintain the existing historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites. Both sides stressed their rejection of any measures that could undermine the city’s religious and historical status or change its character. The ministry added that the officials affirmed the importance of confronting ongoing and systematic Israeli violations in Jerusalem while reviewing broader regional developments with the Palestinian issue at the forefront.
According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, Abdelatty congratulated Ould Cheikh Ahmed on his appointment as OIC secretary-general after member states approved his selection on Thursday. The foreign minister voiced Egypt’s readiness to support reforms within the organization to strengthen its role and develop its mechanisms for addressing shared challenges facing Islamic nations. Ould Cheikh Ahmed expressed appreciation for Egypt’s support of his candidacy and indicated his desire to maintain close coordination and consultation with Cairo given its experience in regional matters.
The Egyptian foreign ministry issued a separate statement on August 27 condemning an Israeli raid on the UNRWA Kalandia Training Centre in occupied East Jerusalem. The ministry described the operation as a blatant violation of international law and a continuation of illegal practices targeting the UN agency and its facilities. It warned that systematic efforts to undermine UNRWA could deprive millions of Palestinian refugees of vital services in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank including East Jerusalem, and neighboring countries.
Egypt has repeatedly outlined its position that regional peace requires ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. A joint statement by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar earlier in 2026 condemned violations in Jerusalem including incursions at Al-Aqsa and rejected any changes to the longstanding status quo. The ministers called for halting settlement activities and violence while reaffirming support for the two-state solution.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has maintained a consistent focus on the Palestinian cause in its diplomatic initiatives. During an OIC ministerial meeting last year, Abdelatty emphasized the group’s pivotal role in supporting Palestinian rights and addressing the situation in Gaza. The foreign minister has also stressed in multiple forums that military solutions cannot resolve overlapping regional crises including those in Gaza and the West Bank.
The latest discussion between Abdelatty and Ould Cheikh Ahmed touched on supporting efforts to achieve security, stability and development across Islamic countries. The Egyptian foreign ministry noted that both officials explored ways to fulfill the aspirations of peoples in these nations amid current challenges. Such coordination reflects Egypt’s longstanding engagement with the OIC on matters of mutual concern.
