TCSS Security Commentaries #037
WHILE EGYPT HOLDS A UNIQUE POSITION IN THE ISRAEL-HAMAS CONFLICT, IT IS INCREASINGLY EVIDENT THAT THE RESOLUTION OF THIS COMPLEX AND ENDURING CONFLICT REQUIRES A CONCERTED INTERNATIONAL EFFORT.
Pauline Geyer, Interns, TCSS.
Situated at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East, Egypt holds a unique position with its northeastern border meeting both Israel and the Gaza Strip, a region that has historically been a flashpoint for conflicts and diplomatic negotiations.
Before the State of Israel was founded in 1948, the area that now makes up Israel and Palestine was under British mandate, having a diverse political landscape and population composed of both Arab and Jewish people. After the holocaust ended the urgent need for a Jewish homeland was prevalent. Therefore, in 1947, the United Nations proposed partitioning Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. While Jewish leaders approved the plan, Arab leaders did not.
Still, on May 14, 1948, the State of Israel proclaimed its independence. Following Israel’s declaration of statehood, Egypt and other Arab neighbors became involved in the Arab-Israeli War. After heavy fighting, the war ended in an armistice in 1949, establishing the Gaza Strip’s boundaries and giving Egypt control over it. Consequently, Gaza was under Egyptian military rule from 1949 to 1956.
During the Suez-Crisis in 1956 tensions flared again and the strip was taken by Israel. Following immense international pressure, Gaza reverted to Egyptian control again in 1957. In 1967 Israel launched preemptive strikes against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria during the Six-Day War, resulting in Israel gaining control over Gaza, Israel occupied the region for the next quarter century.
During the Yom-Kippur-War of 1973, Egypt and Syria launched an unexpected attack on Israel. The conflict ended in a ceasefire that once again highlighted the need for diplomatic solutions. Subsequently, the historic Camp-David-Accords of 1978, brokered by U.S. President Carter, produced Egypt’s and Israel’s first-ever peace treaty. Decades of hostility came to an end with the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of 1979, which made Egypt the first Arab country to formally establish peace with Israel.
While the peace treaty brought about formal diplomatic ties, public sentiment in Egypt remained largely critical of Israel’s policies towards the Palestinians. The peace between the two countries has persisted despite sporadic tensions, with official diplomatic relations maintained until today. Egypt has remained an intermediary between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as between different Palestinian factions. Still, the relationship, remains complex, with all parties navigating regional challenges and domestic considerations.
This is also reflected in Egypt’s reaction on the 7th October 2023 attacks. Like most of the Arab countries, without directly addressing Hamas, Egypt released a statement warning of the “dire dangers of the ongoing escalation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, following a series of attacks against Palestinian cities.” President Sisi said on October 15 that the actions of the Israel Defense Forces went beyond any reasonable retaliation for the events on October 7. However, president Sisi has insisted that Israel allows humanitarian aid into Gaza rather than let Gazans flee into the bordering Sinai Peninsula.
Several factors underpin this position:
First, Egypt is grappling with an economic crisis that limits its capacity to absorb additional refugees. The influx of over 317,000 refugees coming from Sudan within the past six months, as reported by UNHCR, has strained resources, with another 100,000 seeking registration in Cairo and Alexandria. Second, there is apprehension over possible Hamas participation in Sinai, namely the worry about terrorism by the Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State (IS). Since Sinai has served as the center for terrorist activity in Egypt in the previous years, it is a sensitive location for absorbing additional populations. Furthermore, Egypt worries that Israel would attempt to shift accountability for Gaza onto Cairo, following the historical Gaza-Egypt connection. Israeli leaders have occasionally mentioned an “Arab solution”. In Cairo this was interpreted as an attempt to shift the responsibility for Gaza’s inhabitants onto Egypt. Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Shoukry, has expressed reluctance, stating that Egypt, already hosting nine million refugees, should not bear the sole burden of accommodating Gazans.
Still, there is a plea from Egypt for aid, as articulated by Foreign Minister Shoukry: “I hope that there will be a determined effort to allow for the entry of humanitarian goods and the provision of safe areas and safe corridors to disperse these goods.” Shoukry emphasized the urgency of the situation, describing it as “a very tragic and very difficult situation that needs immediate attention.” Egypt has opened the Rafah crossing, the only means for people to leave Gaza and a vital entry point for humanitarian aid. Following, on October 21, the first aid convoy successfully entered Gaza, also allowing the departure of foreign passport holders, NGO workers and 100 seriously injured people, accompanied by family members.
This shows the balance Egypt is navigating, considering both the strategic advantages of its relationship with Israel and the pressing humanitarian needs in the region. Egypt is exercising caution in taking a definitive stance in the conflict, there is currently no sign of Egypt seeking to rupture ties with Israel.
While Egypt indeed holds a unique position in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it is increasingly evident that the resolution of this complex and enduring conflict requires a concerted international effort. The global community must recognize that the multifaceted nature of the conflict necessitates a comprehensive and collaborative approach to address its root causes, ensure the protection of human rights, and establish a sustainable peace. Moving forward, scrutiny of human rights violations done by any conflict party, coupled with a unified global stance against aggression and war, will play a crucial role in shaping the trajectory of the conflict and fostering a path towards peace and stability in the region. How the world is going to handle this conflict is going to be crucial for upcoming conflicts this world might face.
Pauline Geyer is an undergraduate pursuing International Relations and Social Science from the University of Erfurt, Germany. She specializes in global security and public international law. She is an exchange student at the Department of Political Science at National Chengchi University and an Intern at TCSS.
Taiwan Center for Security Studies 