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In an interview with “Al 24 news” channel, on the eve of the Security Council ministerial meeting on the Palestinian issue that  Algeria will chair on Monday and which comes within the framework of the ceasefire agreement coming into effect, Attaf affirmed that this agreement “has been long awaited and Algeria has worked, since its joining the Security Council as a non-permanent member, to ensure that absolute priority is given to the Palestinian cause and to the ceasefire to end the suffering of the people of Gaza.”

 

“As current president of the Security Council, Algeria will oversee this agreement’s implementation, with periodic evaluation, and will intervene to remove any obstacles that might hinder its application,” he added.

 

The agreement consists of three phases, “the first phase includes implementing the ceasefire, initiating humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza's population, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from major urban areas."

 

The second phase “focuses on expanding the exchange of hostages and detainees, which was initially started by the occupying forces, along with increasing humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. The final phase will address what's being called “The Day After” - establishing new political, administrative, and security arrangements for Gaza."

 

Speaking about Algeria's stance on the agreement, the Minister of State affirmed that “Algeria maintains cautious hope and vigilant optimism, as the agreement in question is delicate, even very delicate, and must therefore benefit from the support of the international community.” “What we expect from the Security Council, as Algerians, is the validation, adoption, and expansion of international support around this agreement,” he underlined.

 

This agreement which is, he said, “the result of the work of a restricted group of international actors requires the adherence and mobilization of the international community to give it real and effective weight.”

 

The Minister emphasized that this agreement is part of a larger framework aimed at achieving a definitive and lasting settlement to the Palestinian question, affirming that such a resolution must be grounded in international law, with the two-State solution as its cornerstone.

 

In his reply to a question about the withdrawal of the Algerian delegations from various international meetings attended by representatives of the Zionist entity, and how Algeria intends to handle this issue, particularly in its capacity as president of the UN Security Council, Attaf said that “Algeria has been on the Security Council in the 60s and 80s, and at the beginning of the 2000s, and it is there today, so we have traditions and practices in this matter.'"

 

"'The Security Council’s presidency comes with specific responsibilities and obligations that must be fulfilled by whoever holds this position,” he emphasized.

 

He went on to explain: “While Algeria maintains its national position, even when its representatives chair the Security Council, we also have responsibilities to the Council we're leading and must adhere to its established rules and protocols.”

"'When a country holds the Security Council presidency, speaking on behalf of one's own nation is the exception, while speaking for the Council is the rule. Therefore, as Algeria assumes this presidency, we must act as the Security Council's chair rather than as a country pursuing its national interests. In this regard, I will be acting as Security Council president, setting aside our national position.”

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