Egypt has told the Israeli and US defence ministries, as well as the leadership of the multinational UN forces in Sinai, that its army will respond immediately and without hesitation to any violations of its borders by the Israel Defence Forces. Any terrorist operations committed on Egyptian soil, said a security source, will be tackled by Egyptian forces to maintain its territorial integrity.
The statement was made in a meeting of joint security staff of the UN, Egypt, Israel and America. A source told the Arab News Network (Moheet) that any statements to the contrary made by any Israeli official of any rank are unacceptable. A member of Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces warned Israel about “the consequences of challenging Egypt”.
Egypt is aware of reports coming from Israel, the source added, that Prime Minster Netanyahu wants to carry out a military operation in Sinai with the aim of killing the militants who pose a threat to Israel. “However, any internal or external aggressor will be stopped, and we will not allow anyone to violate an inch of Sinai.”