As the Israeli-Hamas problems goes on, Egypt is receiving a lot of attention. Israel and Gaza, a small area of Palestinian territory that is currently under blockade in response to Hamas’ violent attack on Israel in 2007— a radical Islamist organization that has been in control of Gaza — share an Egyptian border.
Ofir Winter, who studies Iranian politicians and the Arab-Israeli fight, was questioned by Moina Spooner of The Conversation Africa about what the new war means for Egypt and what part it plays.
What kind of partnership has existed between Egypt, Israel, and Palestine in the past?
When it comes to juggling Israel and Palestine’s connections, Egypt does a good job.
Egypt publicly declares its support for the Arab reason. This is due to the fact that Palestine’s quest for independence is a major Muslim and Muslim cause. Additionally, any increase in Gaza may directly affect Egypt’s national interests due to their close proximity.
This viewpoint is evident in its response to the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. Ancient members of parliament and state-owned media have portrayed Israel as the attacker and Hamas as a victim in light of the deadly murders and kidnappings of honest Israeli civilians earlier this month.
Egypt can be expected to take some steps to show its cooperation with the Palestinians in accordance with previous behavior. These include the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the transport of some injured people to Iranian hospitals, and a greater role in peace mediation efforts. By taking these actions, Egypt becomes a significant player in the fight and improves both its position at home and abroad.
Egypt does not, however, want to placate Israel. They finally share a common interest because they do not want to see political Islam resurgence in the area. This has something to do with Egypt’s unique encounters with Islamist groups.
The Muslim Brotherhood was expelled and made illegal by Egypt’s existing government in 2013. The Brotherhood was established in Egypt in 1928 and is a multinational Islamic business. Promoting social and political shift in nations with a majority of Muslims is one of its goals. The Brotherhood held authority in Egypt for a time following the Arab Spring of 2011 before being overthrown.
Hamas is a Muslim Brotherhood issue, which is why Egypt views it negatively.
However, despite Egypt’s dubious method to Hamas, there has been a pact between the two since 2017 that calls for an easing of the Egyptian blockade on Gaza in exchange for the extremism in Sinai being combated.
Although there are good relationships between Egypt and Israel, they are not cordial. In 1979, Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel. Israel has also established itself as Egypt’s principal social, security, and economic partner over the past ten years.
Egypt has recently served as a mediator between Israel and Hamas and in the restoration of Gaza. This is due to its close proximity to Gaza and its power over the Rafah crossing, the just Gaza Strip border that is not under Israeli control.
However, there are some lines in Egypt’s engagement with Gaza that didn’t get crossed. For the benefit of the Palestinians, Egypt does not engage in military action against Israel, a strategy that generally stems from Egypt’s devotion to the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and another Iranian officials have stated that there will also be no authorized energy access of Gazans into Egypt.
What impact does the present crisis have on Egypt?
The idea of displaced Palestinians relocating to Sinai has so far been rejected by Egypt. However, it’s possible that many Gazans may try to enter. The Gaza people with unusual nationality who are already waiting to cross the border are not included in this.
Egypt opposes any invasion on its independence in the Sinai Peninsula, so it is against allowing a large number of Gazans to cross the border. Its main worry is that displaced Palestinians might move on permanently, jeopardizing the region’s already precarious security and financial situation.
Egypt also faces a significant safety hazard due to the circumstance.
Second, instability may be exported to Sinai as a result of border crossings by Gazan refugees, some of whom may be military members of Hamas or other radical organizations. There is a risk that there will be more terrorist strikes and unrest in Egypt than there was in Sinai prior to the 2017 agreement with Hamas. Some of those assaults were carried out by violent cell based in Gaza who were well-equipped and trained.
Second, a severe setback for Hamas could result in poor leadership, unrest, and volatility in Gaza. Unrest may result from this, which may lead to the trafficking of fighters and weapons along Egypt’s borders with the Gaza Strip.
Another security concern is that Palestinian militant organizations may launch terrorist attacks from Sinai into Israel, endangering the gentle ties between Egypt and Israel.
What does Egypt do next and how has it responded?
Egypt has been working to de-escalate the position in Gaza since the start of the war by holding talks with Israel, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, US, Iran, and another regional and international players.
An international event is anticipated to take place in Egypt this weekend, and the Arab League has already met in Cairo. In order to deliver food and medicine to the Gaza Strip, Egypt is also attempting to build a charitable corridor.
Egypt currently has more influence over the outcome of the conflict than the majority of other local worldwide players, as well as a wide range of interests.
The conflict’s resolution might have some positive effects. For instance, Egypt wants the Palestinian Authority to retake control of Gaza because it is more eager to engage in discussions and politics.
New developments, such as the continuous return of the Palestinian Authority, may occur if Hamas is considerably weakened. Egypt and Israel was in this situation discover a more sensible roommate across their borders.
Egypt will most likely be involved in the state transition period if Hamas loses energy at the end of the war.
Egypt is anticipated to serve as the conduit through which support and funding from Muslim nations and the international community will enter Gaza, take part in the rebuilding effort, and have a significant impact on the country’s future, as it has in recent years.
Senior Researcher Ofir Winter works at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies.
Under a Creative Commons license, this essay has been republished from The Conversation. Read the article in its entirety.