2023-12-28 12:47:09
The Hebrew newspaper “Yedioth Ahronoth” revealed the details of a plan that the Israeli security services are formulating, which primarily aims to build an underground wall in Rafah, Egypt, to prevent the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip, while the newspaper likened it to “preventing the oxygen supply to Hamas.”
This comes at a time when diplomats and observers in Cairo told Sky News Arabia that the “allegations” of arms smuggling from Egypt to Hamas are completely untrue, especially since the security authorities have been working since 2013 on closing all the tunnels in Sinai, in the midst of Egypt’s confrontation of terrorism and extremist groups, which it has completely succeeded in in recent years.
They also indicated that Egypt will reject any Israeli plans to implement this wall, or military redeployment on the border with it, in connection with the political vision that calls for the necessity of stopping the fighting and preventing Tel Aviv’s control over the Palestinian territories, or reducing its size.
As the Gaza war entered its third month, and Israel expanded its operations throughout the Strip, the “Philadelphia Axis,” located on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, returned to the forefront, coinciding with Tel Aviv’s study of the plan to erect the “Land Wall.”
How does Tel Aviv think?
- According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant proposed to his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, who recently visited Tel Aviv, the possibility of building a deep underground wall in the Egyptian Rafah region, provided that the funding is American. To prevent the smuggling of weapons to Hamas.
- The plan includes providing the ground wall with advanced technology, cameras, sensors, etc., to provide joint information to the Egyptian and Israeli sides regarding what is happening in the Gaza Strip, and to prevent the establishment of tunnels between Gaza and Egyptian territory similar to the wall that Israel built following 2014.
- The newspaper explained that the proposed wall might be up to 13 kilometers long, and includes technological methods that provide an indication of whether there is imminent digging in that area, and also contribute to “cutting” the already dug tunnels, making them unusable.
- The Israeli Ministerial Council for Political and Security Affairs (Cabinet) is expected to discuss this issue soon, to make a decision on it, taking Cairo’s position into account.
- The newspaper reported that Cairo opposes an Israeli ground operation in the Rafah area for several reasons, including the possibility of the exodus of Palestinians from Gaza to Egyptian territory, stressing that no weapons were smuggled through it, while Tel Aviv indicated that one of the goals of erecting this wall on the Egyptian side is “ “Israel will not be forced to carry out a large-scale military operation in Rafah, southern Palestine.” The Israeli army will be satisfied with focused attacks and not a ground operation.
- Senior IDF officers believe that it is impossible to end the current war if Hamas’ “oxygen lifeline” remains active, as the movement will very quickly get back on its feet and regain its capabilities.
Displaced Gazans insist on remaining in their land and reject the idea of displacement
What is Cairo’s position?
In an interview with Sky News Arabia, 4 diplomatic and political sources revealed the expected position of Egypt regarding the new Israeli plan.
For his part, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and former Assistant Foreign Minister, Ambassador Rakha Ahmed Hassan, told the Sky News Arabia website, “The Israeli plan aims to build this wall in lands other than theirs, as Gaza and Rafah are not Israeli territory, and therefore it is unacceptable.” Agreed to do so.”
He stressed that while Egypt was fighting terrorism in North Sinai, it closed all tunnels used for smuggling.
He added: “The Israelis’ insinuation that Hamas weapons were smuggled through Egypt is a talk that lacks clear evidence, given that the Palestinians in Gaza have 60 kilometers along the Mediterranean Sea, and weapons can be smuggled in more than one way, as there is no strict control along these maritime borders.” “.
The member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs does not believe that such ideas of building a wall around Gaza will achieve security for Israel, saying: “There is already an electronic wall equipped with sensors with Gaza, and yet it failed to prevent the Al-Aqsa flood operation, and therefore Egypt does not want to get involved in such These plans.
The former Egyptian diplomat stressed that “Israel’s security is not in the wall or electronic devices, but in peace and the establishment of Palestinian states, and without that, security will not be achieved no matter what security measures they take.”
Tareq Fahmy, professor of political science at Cairo University and co-adviser in the Arab-Israeli negotiations, agreed with this, saying, “This wall will not be implemented one word at a time, and there are many reservations and objections within Israel itself to this idea.”
Fahmy added to Sky News Arabia, “This wall, which Israel is studying, will not provide absolute security, due to considerations related to the nature of this area, which is different from the rest of the Gaza Strip, and Egypt will reject that.”
He explained that the US Secretary of Defense discussed 4 main issues during his recent visit to Israel, most notably field military operations deep in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army leaders also presented a map that included the area of Gaza, and expressed objections to it, especially in the northwestern region. They also discussed “concrete constructions,” where they proposed Building a new wall, in addition to extended security arrangements for the post-war period.
He said, “These ideas were presented in the context of what is coming, but they are still the subject of controversy and have not been approved yet.”
Egyptian vision
The expert specializing in international relations, Ayman Samir, said in his statements to “Sky News Arabia” website, “Egypt cannot coordinate with Israel in constructing any wall or isolating the Palestinian Rafah, because this matter contradicts the Egyptian vision, which calls for there to be unity.” The Palestinian territories occupied by Israel on June 4, 1967 include three main regions: the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the entire Gaza Strip. Therefore, Israel’s presence in that region is not consistent with this Egyptian vision.
Samir reiterated that “building a wall has proven that it does not achieve peace, especially since strategic security is built through peaceful and political solutions,” explaining that Egypt builds its vision and perceptions of risks related to national security according to its own vision, and not according to the Israeli security vision.
He explained that the Israeli plan revolves around the “Philadelphia Axis” near which Israel wants to build the wall, and therefore Egypt can object to that politically, and cannot participate in it or coordinate with Israel in its construction.
In conclusion, the Palestinian political analyst and professor of political science at Al-Quds University, Ayman Al-Raqab, considered that Israel wants to reconsider the “Philadelphia” axis, by placing a foot in that region, whether through redeployment and positioning of forces, or building a security system there, and certainly this is something that the side rejects. Al-Masry at this time, and there is no agreement on it.
He pointed out that although this area is not part of the Camp David Agreement, it is part of the border agreement that was signed following 2005, and the attached agreement between Egypt and Israel to deploy security forces to prevent cross-border smuggling.
Bombardment, displacement, and hunger are Israel’s weapons once morest defenseless Palestinians
Philadelphia Axis
- Geographically, this border strip extends between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, with a length of 14 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south.
- Under the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, this axis is a buffer zone that was under the control and guarding of Israel before the latter withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005 in what was known as the “disengagement” plan.
- In the same year, Israel signed a protocol with Egypt called the “Philadelphia Protocol.” It does not cancel or amend the peace agreement, which limits the military presence of both sides in that region, but the protocol allowed Egypt to deploy 750 soldiers along the border with Gaza, which is not a military force, but a police force. To combat terrorism and cross-border infiltration.
The Palestinian political expert stressed that Egypt supports what preserves the Palestinians’ right to their lands, and in no way can it participate in plans aimed at undermining the Palestinians’ control over their borders.
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