 "Previous attempts at talks had faltered partly due to Netanyahu's threats to destroy Hamas's surviving terrorists in Rafah and the Palestinian organization's demand for an indefinite ceasefire Image Courtesy AFP")
In the latest sign of mounting tensions, Egypt is reported to be considering downgrading the diplomatic relationship with Israel.
The development comes amid fears that an Israeli invasion of Rafah is just a matter of time. Much of the international community, including partners like the United States and the United Kingdom, have warned Israel against invading Rafah without any satisfactory plan to evacuate and rehabilitate civilians as they believe such an operation will lead to a grave humanitarian crisis. They maintain Israel has furnished no such plan so far.
While Israel has not mounted a full-blown invasion of Rafah so far, it has captured the border crossing at Rafah with Egypt. The action has inflamed Israeli-Egyptian tensions and led to Egypt indefinitely suspending the entry of any humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Egypt may recall envoy from Israel: Report
Amid rising Egypt-Israel tensions, Cairo is considering downgrading the diplomatic relationship with Jerusalem, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The report said that the downgrading under consideration involves recalling the Egyptian ambassador to Israel.
The suspension of bilateral relationship or a break-up of the Camp David Accords are, however, not on the cards, as per the report.
“As we stand, there are no plans to suspend ties or throw away Camp David. But as long as Israeli forces remain at Rafah Crossing, Egypt will not send a single truck to Rafah,” an Egyptian official was quoted as saying in the report.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe Camp David Accords refer to a series of agreements between Israel and Egypt in 1978 that were facilitated by the US. In 1979, the agreements resulted in a landmark peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. It was the first such treaty between Israel and an Arab country in the region. It led to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and Egypt’s recognition of Israel as a country.
Egypt joins South Africa’s genocide case against Israel
Amid rising tensions between the two countries, Egypt has also said it will join South Africa’s case of genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
In a statement last week, Egypt said that it will join the case considering “exacerbating gravity and scope of Israeli atrocities against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, and the continued perpetration of systematic practices against the Palestinian people”. Egypt further accused Israel of creating an “unprovoked human crisis” in Gaza.
Previously, Columbia and Turkey had joined the case against Israel at the ICJ.
In its case against ICJ, South Africa argued that actions and omissions by Israel in Gaza “are genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group”. It argued that what Israel is doing —the military activities— and what it’s not doing —not taking care to avoid civilian deaths— lead to the alleged genocide.