Egypt has taken a new step to reach a permanent stability in the Gaza Strip, bring peace between the conflicting Palestinian factions, and reunite the Palestinians. This is to create the atmosphere to reach the peace that everyone desires, except for some parties that seek to impose their extremist vision and make themselves a regional power despite lacking capabilities to play this role.
It is known that the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip have announced their intention to reactivate the popular marches near the Israeli border, as a new method of confrontation to pressure the government of Naftali Bennett to implement the understandings concluded after the cessation of hostilities last May.
The new Egyptian initiative aims to stop hostilities, open the crossings between Israel and Gaza, and allow entry of all kinds of goods and international aid to Gaza to facilitate the reconstruction process in the strip .This is in exchange for the Palestinian factions’ commitment to ensure calmness on Israel borders.
The Egyptian initiative also aims to make progress in the file of detainee exchange between Israeli and Palestine according to a certain timetable, provided that this file goes in parallel with the aforementioned measures.
To activate this initiative, Chief of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, Abbas Kamel, headed a delegation to Israel, where he met Bennett to discuss those mechanisms, in addition to activating communication with the Palestinian Authority. He also invited the Israeli Prime Minister to visit Cairo and meet President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
What was published in the Israeli media confirmed that Abbas discussed the security situation in the Gaza Strip and the reconstruction process.
In an immediate response, a security delegation from Tel Aviv visited Cairo. The resources indicate that it aims to put a timetable for implementing the agreed measures, including the detainee exchange, provided that these files will be presented to the Hamas movement when it visits Cairo.
Observers believe that this initiative came at the last minute to save the Gaza Strip from a further military confrontation or security tensions.
Egypt has never delayed in supporting any Arab cause, even before there was an umbrella for a comprehensive Arab system, i.e. the Arab League. The Egyptian role was important in all wars and conflicts since the beginning of the last century, even when it was under the British occupation.
Egypt always puts the Palestinian cause on the top of its priorities, especially since President Al-Sisi has taken office. In addition, Egypt plays a humanitarian role by opening the Rafah border crossing to offer medical treatment to the Palestinians as well as food and medical aid.
Egypt affirmed in different international forums that the region will not see stability without finding a solution to the Palestinian cause, and establishing the independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The recent Gaza crisis proved to everyone that no ceasefire agreement between Gaza and Israel would succeed without the Egyptian mediation. This is the Egyptian role, which cannot be compared to any other endeavours that, in fact, only seek to use the Palestinian cause to achieve personal interests.
Dr. Hatem Sadek, Professor at Helwan University
