Khaberni - Egyptian businessman and billionaire Naguib Sawiris revealed a message he sent to former Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat in 2000 before his participation in the Camp David Summit.
U.S. President Bill Clinton had called for a trilateral meeting at the Camp David resort in July 2000 between himself, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat in an attempt to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Sawiris said that he urged Arafat before heading to the meeting to ensure that the meeting resulted in the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying: "I told Yasser Arafat I hope you return with a state of Palestine, we're tired of slogans, we want to see a real state."
Sawiris disclosed in statements to a local Egyptian channel that he found out about his selection to manage the post-war phase in Gaza like anyone else, confirming that "no one has contacted me about this, neither from Egypt nor from abroad."
Sawiris considered that the mention of his name among the figures possibly taking over Gaza's management could be an acknowledgment of his experience in the fields of reconstruction and development, saying: "All my experience in building could help in reconstruction, but I will not enter driven by gains or interests, and I won’t work unless the ultimate goal is the establishment of a Palestinian state."
Sawiris emphasized that any discussion about the reconstruction or future management of Gaza must be based on a two-state solution, explaining that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is the basic condition for any future project.
He clarified that what the Egyptian diplomacy has recently achieved in the Gaza dossier represents a significant victory for the presidential institution and the efforts of the Egyptian state in maintaining political balance, confirming that Egypt succeeded in avoiding entering any war despite the complex circumstances in the region, and continued to support the Palestinian people without interruption.
The Egyptian billionaire added, "I hope before I die to see the state of Palestine established, we're tired of seeing images of children dying from rocks and bullets, the Palestinian people have the right to live a dignified life with schools and playgrounds instead of ongoing war and destruction."
