Sarajevo Times: Leaders in Egypt see great danger to their own country since they’re right next door where the conflict takes place. Egypt is a sometimes contentious U.S. ally and (is) will be key in getting aid to Palestinians or ending the war. But first, leaders in Egypt want to make sure that the country won’t be drawn into the fighting or that the war won’t unleash unrest in Cairo. On Tuesday, the Egyptian Prime Minister said the country is ready to sacrifice millions of lives to defend territory. Can you elaborate this, the Egyptian territorial security concerns related to Sinai?
“Allow me at the outset to stress that the absence of political horizon to settle the Israeli –Palestinian conflict has its serious negative impact on the stability and security of the region especially when we could face with a large influx of Palestinians escaping to the north toward the crossing due to the Israeli attacks,” His Excellency Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt Yasser Sorour started the interview with Sarajevo Times, adding that the security concerns related to Sinai are many one of which is the ludicrous proposition related to the forcible displacement, migration, or exit from Gaza strip to Egyptian territory.
“This proposition is dangerous to the Palestinian issue in itself and the entire region. We do not consider this as a solution to the Palestinian Israeli conflict. If two states solution does not success while the Palestinians are present on their land, then how we can expect the realization of the aforementioned solution while the Palestinians are not on their land,” Ambassador said, adding that if Egyptian authorities permit the transfer of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Sinai the Israeli evacuation process will extend to West Bank and this will lead to demolishing the Palestinian cause.
“I will quote what president Mahmoud Abbas reiterated in many occasions including the Cairo Summit for Peace “we will not leave …we will not leave ….we will not leave”. We categorically rejected any attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause at the expense of the Palestinian people and the peoples of the countries of the region, or to forcefully displace the Palestinian people outside their land in any way, as it is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime,” Mr. Sorour concluded.
Egypt is noticing a systematic Israeli policy of forcibly displacing Palestinians from their homes and lands by imposing a fait accompli on the ground that makes it impossible to provide a minimum of a decent life and to target civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals and schools. Forcing Palestinians to displace, deliberately not providing safe sites for innocent people, forcibly transferring them and deporting them, and deliberately disrupting humanitarian aid from the Rafah crossing, whether by bombing the Palestinian side of it more than once at the beginning of the destruction or placing obstacles in front of aid later under the pretext of verification and inspection. Egypt continues to reject the said policy as it is considered an Israeli attempt to transfer the problem to Egypt, His Excellency continued answering the interview questions.
“It was made clear in all occasions that Egypt will and can defend its lands. Sinai belongs to the Egyptian people and we will not give it up under any circumstances. For us land is honor and we are capable of defending our honor. We have observed many reports and ideas related to Sinai including providing financial incentives. Sinai is a dear part of the land of Egypt that we will never squander,” Ambassador said, adding that President El-Sisi stated that the failure to stop the war threatens the expansion of military confrontations in the region which adds to the concerns.
Sarajevo Times: In the past, Egypt’s presidents and General Intelligence Service have played important roles in securing cease-fires between Israel and Hamas. Can Egypt, and in what way, play a role in regional efforts to create a cease-fire?
Ambassador outlined that since the beginning of the escalation in Gaza, and in light of the unprecedented destruction and the increasing number of innocent civilians killed in the Gaza Strip, Egypt has emphasized its vision, that is founded on the necessity for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, providing immediate international protection for the Palestinian people, halting all practices that aim to forcefully displace the Palestinian people to any place outside their land, and ensuring safe, rapid and sustainable access to humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Egypt stresses on the aforementioned elements during its contacts with regional and international partners.
Mr. Sorour further emphasized that in an attempt to de-escalate the situation in the Gaza Strip, Egypt hosted the Cairo summit for peace on 21st October 2023 to build international consensus its core is the values of humanity and its collective conscience that rejects violence, terrorism, and unlawful killing of souls, consensus that calls for an end to the ongoing war that has claimed thousands of innocent civilian lives, around 11000 Palestinians out of which 4800 are children.
“And we are building on that effort during our contacts with partners,” he highlighted.
In addition, Ambassador mentioned that the recent United Nations General Assembly resolution that was proposed by the Arab Group in New York and approved by 120 member states confirms the desire by the international community to de – escalate the situation and end the suffering of innocent people and spare their lives.
“We stress in our contacts that it is imperative of building on the international consensus embodied in the aforementioned General Assembly resolution. Intensive contacts carried out and continue to by Egypt with partners and key players to reach an immediate ceasefire and reject the policy of collective punishment carried out by Israel as well as rejecting the forceful displacement of Palestinians. Egypt and Arab countries call upon the international community to assume its responsibilities to stop the current escalation in Gaza and describe what is happing in Gaza by its true definition,” Mr. Sorour explained.
In addition, he explained that Egypt participated in the summit in France on 9 November 2023 and again clearly and sincerely reiterates its vision that I previously mention and called for the international community to increase the amount of humanitarian assistances directed to Gaza. It is surprising that since the outbreak of this war, the Egyptian people have provided through civil society organizations and the Egyptian government, humanitarian aid was brought into the Strip amounting to 5400 tons despite the economic challenges it faces, while the aid provided by all members of the international community did not exceed this amount.
“I am sure you are aware of the decision taken the Arab Islamic summit in in Riyadh that expressed a unified position in dealing with the current escalation in Gaza. The resolution included , inter –alia, condemning the Israeli aggression on Gaza , calling upon the Security Council to impose cease fire , rejecting the characterization of this war as self-defense, breaking the siege on Gaza and imposing the entry of humanitarian aid convoys, assigning the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Indonesia, Nigeria and Palestine to formulate an immediate international action to stop the war on Gaza and pressure for the launch of a serious political process to achieve a lasting and comprehensive peace in accordance with the approved international references,” Ambassador concluded.
Sarajevo Times: The Egypt-Israel peace treaty has survived many crises since it was signed in 1979, including Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, the first intifada, the second intifada and Israel’s reinvasion of the West Bank, and successive conflicts between Israel and Hamas since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. What is the status of Egypt’s relationship with Israel? How does the current crisis affect Egypt? How has Egypt reacted and what should it do next?
“I want to firmly clarify that reaching peace with Israel was a strategic choice for Egypt and that this peace did not prevent or preclude Egypt under any circumstances from continuing its support to the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian Authority. I recall the speech of President Sadat in the Israeli Knesset when he stressed that he did not come to the Knesset to reach peace individually, and stressed the necessity to realize just, lasting and comprehensive peace for the Palestinian cause,” His Excellency explained.
He added that throughout history Egypt was actively involved in efforts to settle the cause and it is continuing its support and solidarity with the Palestinian people as was mentioned in the statement issued by president El-Sisi.
Mr. Sorour further explained that the current crisis undoubtedly has a significant impact on Egypt, in addition to the security concerns that have already been clarified; there are economic consequences, especially with the economic challenges facing Egypt. However, those challenges have not prevented us from supporting the Palestinian people in their plight and the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe they are facing.
“The Egyptian reaction from the first moment of escalation was the need to achieve a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian cause and the realization of the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions. When we say this, it must be understood that the lack of a political horizon to settle the Palestinian issue is what causes the recurrence of cycles of violence between the Palestine and Israel,” he highlighted.
For the end of the imterview, Mr. Sorour mentioned that president El-Sisi stated the following six points during the Riyadh summit:
1- Immediate and unconditional ceasefire ز
2- Cease all practices of forced displacement of Palestinians inside or outside their lands.
3- Holding the international community accountable for ensuring the security of civilians.
4- Ensure the access to humanitarian aid. Israel assumes its responsibility as an occupying power.
5- Settlement of the conflict based on the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
6- International investigation into crimes in Gaza
