Israel Warns Egypt Over Sinai Military Buildup Amid Peace Treaty Concerns
ISRAEL – Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Egypt on Monday against breaching its peace treaty with Israel, citing concerns about a potential breach of the 1979 peace treaty amid reports of Egyptian forces massing in northern Sinai.
The 1979 peace treaty, signed as part of the Camp David Accords, established a demilitarized buffer zone in eastern Sinai, known as Zone C, which is monitored by Multinational Forces and Observers and the Egyptian civilian police.
Katz emphasized that Israel will not tolerate any violations of the agreement, stressing the importance of maintaining regional stability. “We will not allow violations of the agreement or disruptions to infrastructure,” he said.
Egypt has previously stated its commitment to upholding the treaty, but Israel officials have raised concerns about Egypt’s growing military presence in the Sinai.
Egyptian officials have proposed US mediation to reduce tensions, while Israel has vowed to continue addressing its concerns over Sinai.
The US provides $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt and any breakdown of the peace treaty could have far-reaching consequences for the region.
Israel Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter accused Egypt of violating the peace treaty, citing the construction of military bases in Sinai. Leiter emphasized that this is a clear violation of the treaty and Israel will not tolerate it.
Leiter stated that Egypt’s actions are a serious concern for Israel and the issue will be addressed soon.
“Egypt is in a very serious violation of our peace agreement in the Sinai. This is an issue which is going to come to the fore, because this is not a tolerable situation,” he said.
