Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has expressed his dismay at the lack of international response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israel has imposed a blockade since 2007. In a televised speech, el-Sisi said he was “astonished” that the world was silent about the “collective punishment” of the Palestinian people in Gaza, who are suffering from shortages of food, water, electricity and medicine.
El-Sisi said that Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, has been trying to mediate between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the enclave, to reach a lasting ceasefire and lift the siege. He said that Egypt has also been providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, including opening its Rafah crossing to allow the passage of goods and people.
El-Sisi urged the international community, especially the United Nations, to take action to end the suffering of the Gazans and to support the efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region. He said that Egypt supports the two-state solution, which would grant an independent state to the Palestinians alongside Israel, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi called on the international community, especially the United Nations, to intervene in the Gaza Strip and end the humanitarian crisis there. He also expressed his support for the efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region and urged all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement.
El-Sisi said that Egypt is committed to helping the people of Gaza and facilitating the reconstruction process. He praised the role of Egypt in mediating between Israel and Hamas and stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation to resolve the conflict. He also reiterated his support for the two-state solution and the rights of the Palestinian people.
El-Sisi’s statement reflects his concern for the situation in Gaza, which has been under siege by Israel for more than a decade. The recent escalation of violence in 2023 resulted in hundreds of casualties and widespread destruction. The UN has warned that Gaza is facing a humanitarian catastrophe, with shortages of food, water, electricity and medical supplies.
El-Sisi’s statement also shows his desire to play a leading role in the region, and to enhance Egypt’s relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Egypt has a strategic interest in maintaining stability and security in the region and preventing further escalation of violence. Egypt also hopes to boost its economic and diplomatic ties with Israel, while maintaining its support for the Palestinian cause.
He also called on the Palestinian factions to unite and reconcile, saying that their division only serves the interests of their enemies. He said that Egypt is ready to host a dialogue between the Palestinian groups to end their disputes and form a national unity government.
El-Sisi’s speech comes amid renewed tensions between Israel and Hamas, which have exchanged rocket fire and airstrikes in recent weeks. The violence has raised fears of another war in Gaza, which has already witnessed four conflicts since 2008, resulting in thousands of deaths and widespread destruction.
Israel is withdrawing its diplomats from Turkey
In a surprising move, Israel has announced that it is withdrawing its diplomats from Turkey, citing security concerns and diplomatic tensions. This decision comes amid growing hostility between the two countries, which have been allies for decades.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it has instructed its embassy staff in Ankara and its consulate staff in Istanbul to return to Israel as soon as possible. The statement did not specify how long the withdrawal would last but said that it was a “temporary measure” until the situation improves.
The statement also said that Israel regrets the deterioration of relations with Turkey and hopes to restore them to their previous level of cooperation and friendship. It added that Israel values its ties with the Turkish people and will continue to provide consular services to Israeli citizens in Turkey through other channels.
Israel and Turkey have a long and complex history of relations, which have gone through several phases of cooperation and confrontation. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1949, shortly after Israel’s creation, and became strategic allies in the Middle East, sharing common interests and threats.
The relations reached their peak in the 1990s, when the two countries signed several agreements on military, economic, cultural, and intelligence cooperation. They also coordinated their policies on regional issues, such as the Arab Israeli peace process, the Kurdish question, and the Iranian nuclear program.
However, the relations began to deteriorate in the 2000s, as Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) adopted a more Islamist and nationalist agenda and shifted its foreign policy from a pro-Western orientation to a more assertive and independent stance. The AKP also sought to increase Turkey’s influence and leadership in the Muslim world, and to challenge Israel’s role and legitimacy in the region.
The relations reached a breaking point in 2010, when Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists on board a ship that was trying to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador, suspended military and trade ties, and demanded an apology and compensation from Israel. The two countries normalized relations in 2016, after Israel met Turkey’s demands, but the trust and friendship were never fully restored.
The relations have continued to deteriorate since then, as new disputes and conflicts have emerged over various regional issues, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Syrian civil war, the Libyan civil war, the Eastern Mediterranean gas dispute, and the normalization of ties between Israel and some Arab states.
The relations reached a new low last week, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Israel a “terrorist state” and a “murderer of children” in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. He also accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing” and “apartheid” against the Palestinians.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called Erdogan’s remarks “antisemitic” and “hypocritical” and said that Turkey was “the last country that can preach to Israel”. He also said that Erdogan was “obsessed” with Israel and should focus on solving his own problems.
The withdrawal of diplomats is the latest escalation in a series of disputes between Israel and Turkey, which have been strained by several issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Turkish invasion of northern Syria, and the Turkish support for Hamas and other Islamist groups.
Turkey has repeatedly condemned Israel for its policies and actions in the occupied territories and has accused it of committing war crimes and human rights violations. Turkey has also expressed solidarity with the Palestinians and has hosted several Hamas leaders in Ankara.
However, the reconciliation was short-lived, as new tensions emerged over various regional issues. The withdrawal of diplomats is likely to further damage the prospects of cooperation between Israel and Turkey, which have shared interests in areas such as energy, trade, tourism, and security.
The withdrawal of diplomats is also likely to have implications for the wider Middle East, where both countries play influential roles. The move could affect the balance of power and alliances in the region, and could create new challenges for the United States, which considers both countries as strategic partners.
