Cairo- Talk about the Philadelphia border axis between the Gaza Strip and Egypt came to the fore again in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s talk about the necessity of controlling the axis completely after about 3 months of war without achieving the declared goals.
Netanyahu said in a press conference on Saturday evening, “The Philadelphia axis must be under our control. It must be closed. It is clear that any other arrangement will not guarantee the disarmament we seek.”
Netanyahu’s speech confirmed what was reported in the Hebrew media during the past weeks regarding the Israeli government’s intention to reoccupy the border strip and establish a buffer zone, which raised questions about the goal of that step, its legality, and Cairo’s options for responding to it.
#Netanyahu: The Philadelphia axis must be under our control#Aljazeera live pic.twitter.com/5YUyXVRUuj
– Tel Aviv Tribune Mubasher (@ajmubasher) December 30, 2023
Border tension and Egyptian silence
There was no official Egyptian comment in response to Netanyahu’s statements, which amount to a declaration from the highest political authority in Israel regarding Tel Aviv’s desire to regain control of the Philadelphia axis, which it believes allows the passage of weapons to the Palestinian resistance.
The Israeli occupation forces launched at least two attacks since last December 13 along the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, under the pretext of destroying the tunnels used by the resistance to smuggle weapons.
In the wake of the first military operation, a member of the Egyptian Parliament, Mustafa Bakri (close to the regime), warned on the He continues with his plans…Egypt’s borders are a red line.”
The Israeli army launched an attack a short while ago along the Egyptian-Palestinian border on the Philadelphia axis, claiming to destroy tunnels between Egypt and Gaza. This is a dangerous development that may lead to an explosion in the situation between Egypt and Israel. The strikes are only a few meters from the Egyptian border. The enemy is continuing with his plans. Egypt’s borders are a red line
– Mustafa Bakry (@BakryMP) December 13, 2023
Israeli peg
The Israeli media recently raised the issue of regaining control or launching attacks on the “Philadelphia” axis, and this matter was the subject of a journalist’s question during a conference by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant on the evening of last December 13. The journalist asked, “If the pressure exerted by Egypt is… Why is Israel not launching a military operation along the Philadelphia Line?
Gallant replied that they are working according to their program, “and it is a good program and it is progressing,” indicating that they are working everywhere in Gaza, and that no one determines for his army what to do except itself, and that there is no pressure on Israel.
Gallant explained that the Philadelphia line is among the army’s concerns and considerations in order to eliminate the military force that threatens them now and in the future, and to make the Gaza Strip demilitarized.
“Impressed” statements
With the repetition of the Israeli attack, the Cairo News Channel (affiliated with the state) quoted informed Egyptian sources, a few days ago, denying what was reported by the Hebrew media about Israeli tanks starting a ground operation from Kerem Shalom to the Philadelphia axis on the Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt.
Militaryly, the military analyst and member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, Major General Mounir Hamed, considered that “Netanyahu’s statements about controlling the Philadelphia axis are crisis statements, and he is directing them at the Israeli interior, because this axis has a special status in the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, and any military movement there will be a violation of the military protocol.” Annex to the Camp David Accords, and also in violation of the security understandings between the two countries.”
Regarding Egypt’s options to confront such movements, he stressed in his speech to Tel Aviv Tribune Net that Egypt will not allow military operations to be launched along the border line that would affect its national security, and it is capable of securing its borders, and Netanyahu will not be able to violate the peace treaty and expand the open fronts in the north. And the south and the situation became more difficult.
Regarding Egypt’s failure to comment on Netanyahu’s statements, the military analyst explained that what is happening in Israel is political and military confusion, “but Egypt’s policy is wise and it has the ability to exercise self-control and adhere to international law and not be drawn into provocative positions, and at the same time it is concerned with securing its international borders against any aggression.” Or exceed.
What are Egypt’s options for responding?
Politically, Professor of Political Science at Cairo University, Mustafa Kamel Al-Sayyed, considers that “Israel’s desire to control the Philadelphia axis becoming public is a dangerous matter, and any military movement along the border strip puts the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel at risk, because it includes a military annex that determines the status of the axis. Such a step is not permitted, and therefore when Israel moves militarily there, this is considered a violation of the peace treaty.”
Al-Sayed believes that Egypt will address the American administration regarding the irresponsible statements, and put it before its responsibilities in implementing and protecting the peace treaty, including the military attaché for the Philadelphia Axis, and it (i.e. Washington) is keen not to cause a major breach of the agreement at a time when it seeks to expand peace treaties with countries. Region.
Al-Sayed ruled out Egypt freezing the peace agreement for several reasons related to:
- Continuing to open channels of communication with Israel to stop the war on the Gaza Strip.
- And the introduction of humanitarian and relief aid.
- He played the role of mediator in any understandings between the resistance movements and Israel. Al-Sayed says that freezing the peace agreement is not a declaration of war, but it places Egypt on the side of hostility to Israel, and prevents it from providing aid to the Gaza Strip. He pointed out that Egypt will put diplomatic pressure to prevent Israeli military intervention in that region, and no one wants to be placed in a position where it is forced to use armed forces if its national security is exposed to danger.
“the underworld”
The “Salah al-Din” axis, or “Philadelphia”, is a 14-kilometre-long buffer border strip that separates the Palestinian territories of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. It represents a strategic security area subject to a bilateral Egyptian-Israeli agreement, and its control is contested by three powers: Israel, Egypt, and the resistance movement. Palestinian (Hamas).
The buffer zone, or the “Philadelphia Axis”, which is known in Palestine as the “Saladin Axis”, appeared following the Camp David Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1979, which stipulated the establishment of a buffer zone along the border between the two parties.
Learn about the Philadelphia Axis, through which Israel began carrying out a ground incursion#Aljazeera_patch #Gaza_War pic.twitter.com/9ItuQQoi2p
– Tel Aviv Tribune Palestine (@AJA_Palestine) December 24, 2023
In September 2005, the “Philadelphia Agreement” was signed between Israel and Egypt, which Israel considers a security annex to the 1979 peace treaty, and says that it is governed by its general principles and provisions. According to this agreement, Israel withdrew from the “Philadelphia” axis and handed it over, along with the Rafah crossing, to the Palestinian Authority.
At the end of 2013, the Egyptian authorities tightened their grip on the border area, and built a steel wall, which they said was intended to prevent the infiltration of “militants” and “extremists” into its lands. They later dug a transverse canal from the sea coast in the north to the Rafah crossing in the south, to establish a border area. A buffer extending for about 5 kilometers with the aim of eliminating the tunnels of the “Philadelphia” axis.
