GAZA CITY, 31 August 2005 — A senior Egyptian envoy told the Palestinian Parliament yesterday that Cairo would work “hand in hand” with the Palestinians for an end to Israel’s occupation of all territory seized in 1967. “I have the pleasure of being with you to convey the congratulations of President (Hosni) Mubarak and his commitment that we stay hand in hand with you until all Palestinian territory, in the West Bank and as well as Gaza, is liberated,” Egypt’s intelligence chief Omar Suleiman said.

He was addressing Palestinian MPs on behalf of Mubarak during a visit aimed at shoring up a de facto Palestinian militant truce and discussing border crossings after Israel’s landmark pullout from the Gaza Strip. He said Egypt supported Palestinian efforts toward “the complete and total freedom of land occupied in 1967 to pave the way to the creation of a Palestinian state that will take its place in the Arab nation.”

Suleiman also said Egypt would work together with the Palestinians “to bring an end to the suffering which has lasted for so long” and in order to assure the “territorial and human links” between Gaza and neighboring Egypt.

All factions stressed the need for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, including the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, as soldiers prepare to leave the Palestinian territory after a 38-year occupation. “We cannot accept an Israeli presence because keeping the Israelis means keeping the occupation,” Abdallah Al-Franji, a member of Fatah’s central committee told AFP.

“Hamas does not want an (Israeli military) redeployment but a total withdrawal and full sovereignty,” said Mahmoud Zahar, adding that his faction would reserve the right to retaliate to any Israeli attack in the Palestinian territories. “We have emerged victors in this battle and any aggression against the Palestinian people, wherever it takes place, will be responded to.”