Israeli journalist: 'Egypt's ceasefire proposal grants Israel international legitimacy to bomb Gaza'

The Sisi regime in Cairo is a crucial ally to Israel in its efforts to crush Palestinian resistance, Israeli commentator Ron Ben-Yishai said on Tuesday.

In his column for Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Ben-Yishai said that the Egyptian regime, led by President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi, is working jointly with Israel to slowly undermine Gaza’s military capabilities by its destruction of tunnels and its closure of the Rafah border crossing.

He also hailed the Egyptian regime for the ceasefire proposal, considering it “a very calculated move, optimal for both Egypt and Israel”.

Ben-Yishai added that the Egyptian proposal “has granted Israel international legitimacy to continue to crush Hamas from the air. It has also received the Egyptians as a partner for the arduous negotiations with Hamas, and Al-Sisi’s goodwill in preventing the strengthening of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the future.”

He went on to say that Egypt will remain an Israeli ally so long as Al-Sisi remains in power, because of his efforts to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.

“That Egypt remains the broker also works to Israel’s advantage. The Egyptians are now committed to restoring the calm and preventing the smuggling of weapons into Gaza, and will probably remain so as long as Al-Sisi is in power,” he said.