NEW YORK — “It’s not enough to declare one’s intentions,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, commenting on Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s speech at the UN General Assembly calling for a two-state solution.

“I recognize that Prime Minister Lapid has publicly indicated his support of a two-state solution,” said Shoukry in an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor.

“This is something that we have constantly advocated in our discussions both with the Israeli government, and our partners in the European Union and the United States, and we hope that the solution will be fulfilled. We recognize of course that in Israel there are upcoming elections, and the necessity to await the electoral process and the composition of a new Israeli government. We hope that that government will endorse the two-state solution and effectively reinitiate negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, and implement them,” he said.

“It’s not enough to declare one’s intentions,” added Shoukry. “More than three decades after Oslo, the vision of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, living side by side in security and peace with Israel, has not been achieved. And I can understand the disappointment that was conveyed in President Abbas’ speech for exactly the same reason.”