Egypt told Palestinian factions of decision to prevent Israel from invading Rafah

Informed Palestinian sources reported on Sunday that Egypt told the Palestinian factions of its firm decision not to allow the Israeli occupation to invade the Palestinian-Egyptian border zone at Rafah. The sources pointed out that Egypt had stressed that, “Any attack on the Egyptian-Palestinian border is an attack on Egyptian national security.”

According to Al-Mayadeen, “Palestinian resistance factions praised the Egyptian decision and considered it a safeguard of borders and sovereignty, noting that Egypt is firm against the displacement project.” The factions apparently view Egypt’s position as one of the “most important” to prevent aggression in the border region.

A few days ago, the head of Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS), Diaa Rashwan, said that the Israeli endeavour to control the “Philadelphi Corridor” in the Gaza Strip along the border with Egypt is expected to threaten Egypt-Israel relations.

“The recent period has seen numerous statements from Israeli officials, particularly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, making claims and false accusations regarding the alleged smuggling of weapons, explosives, ammunition and other items into the Gaza Strip from Egyptian territory,” Rashwan said on the SIS website. “Israeli persistence in promoting these falsehoods is an effort to justify its intent to seize control of the Philadelphi Corridor (aka the Salah Al-Din Axis) within the Gaza Strip along the border with Egypt. This action constitutes a breach of the security agreements and protocols previously signed between Netanyahu and Egypt.”

Reuters earlier this month quoted three Egyptian security sources as saying that, “Egypt rejected an Israeli proposal to increase Israeli supervision of the buffer zone on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.” The sources added that they “give priority to efforts to mediate a ceasefire before working on post-war arrangements.”

The Philadelphi Corridor runs parallel to the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, extending for 14 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Karam Abu Salem crossing in the east. The Rafah land crossing was established there and it is the main outlet for Gazans to the outside world.

The Philadelphi Accord was signed between Egypt and Israel in 2005, as an annex to the Camp David Accords, during the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The Palestinian side of the Corridor was handed over to the Palestinian Authority.

Since then, Egypt has operated a limited military force of its own on the Corridor, its official goal being to “prevent infiltration and smuggling.” Since 2014, Egypt has conducted numerous excavations in the context of restricting “Philadelphi tunnels”.

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