Egypt Daily News – Israel has formally approached both Egypt and the United States with a request to dismantle the military infrastructure established by the Egyptian army in Sinai, according to the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom. Israel considers the Egyptian military infrastructure in Sinai to be a “serious violation” of the security annex in the peace agreement.
Israel was the first country to violate the peace agreement with Egypt when it invaded and occupied the Philadelphi corridor. Till today Israel continues to violate the peace agreement by refusing to leave the Philadelphi corridor, ignoring many Egyptian requests to do so.
An Israeli senior security official stated that the issue is a top priority for Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, stressing that Tel Aviv “will not accept this situation,” referring to what it describes as the growing Egyptian military presence in Sinai.
The official added that the problem is not only about the entry of Egyptian military forces into Sinai beyond the agreed-upon quotas under the military annex of the Camp David Agreement, but rather the continuous strengthening of Egypt’s military infrastructure, which Israel views as a step that cannot be easily reversed.
Israel: Avoiding Potential Escalation
Despite Israel’s reservations, the official emphasized that Israel does not seek to amend the peace agreement with Egypt and does not intend to redeploy its forces along the border. However, Israel believes that the current situation requires urgent attention to avoid any potential escalation.
Egyptian-Israeli relations have been noticeably strained since the outbreak of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023.
In May 2024, an Egyptian soldier was killed in a firefight near the Rafah crossing, further exacerbating tensions between Egypt and Israel.
In February 2024, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that Egypt bears significant responsibility for the October 7 attack, claiming that “Hamas’s supply of ammunition passes through Egypt.” The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by describing these remarks as “provocative and unacceptable.”
Israel’s control over the Rafah crossing on the Palestinian side and Egypt’s refusal to coordinate with it regarding this issue have led to further disagreements between the two sides.
Egypt has also strongly rejected Israeli plans to relocate Palestinians to Sinai, considering it a threat to its national security.
Egypt is keen to maintain its role as a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizing its rejection of any unilateral actions that could affect the region’s stability. For its part, Israel recognizes the importance of cooperation with Egypt, and it is expected that communications between the two sides will continue despite the current tensions.
