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Egyptian President: Islam doesn’t Permit Aggression against Others | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks during a news conference with Cyprus’ President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras (unseen) after their summit at the presidential palace in Cairo November 8, 2014. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh


Cairo – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi condemned terrorist attacks executed in the name of religion, reiterating that Islam doesn’t permit aggression and compels its followers to respect others’ creeds.

Speaking on the sidelines of a conference held in Cairo in the presence of a number of ministers, governors and youth, Sisi discussed the latest efforts to reclaim state lands over the past few weeks. He described the issue as a great challenge that should be dealt with, given that these lands are for the coming generations.

Islam respects the choices of others and personal beliefs, said Sisi, reiterating that the terrorist attacks on Christians in Egypt aim to increase chaos in the country.

Sisi stressed that the government would do its best to reclaim all the lands and said removing illegal buildings on islands in the Nile must be prioritized, expressing concerns that those buildings lack proper sewage systems.

Sisi warned that illegal seizure of state lands is a threat to homeland security and ordered the army and police to execute a wide-ranged campaign all over the country to repossess the state’s lands.

The President said a solution should be found to aid people who have made their living on the land being reclaimed. He added that the government is responsible for regulating the acquisition of land as property of the Egyptian people under the Constitution.

Sisi informed the attendees that about 65 million meters of land had been retrieved, adding that during the process some clashes occurred but confirmed that he is keen that youth of Egypt participate in this campaign along with the police and army.

For his part, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail confirmed that the transgression of the lands is one of the most important challenges facing the Egyptian government. He reiterated that reclaiming the lands is a national security issue because these lands are a real Egyptian national treasure allocated to meet the Egyptians’ needs.

Ismail said 1.7 million feddans of agricultural land were recovered.

Ismail added that 168.5 million square meters of state land was encroached upon and 118 million square meters of 69 percent of total transgressions were recovered.

The Prime Minister thanked the Higher Committee for the Recovery of State Land for its continuous efforts and coordination with all parties, and thanked the Armed Forces and security services. He stressed that work will not stop at this point.

Head of Higher Committee for the Recovery of State Land Mohammed Arfan said that the total area of lands is 2.928 million feddan in addition to 168 million square meters. He reported that 919.458 thousand feddan had been reclaimed, 771 thousand feddans of cultivated lands.