-
Katz: We Will Not Allow Egypt to Violate the Peace Treaty
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Monday evening that Tel Aviv will not allow Egypt to "violate the peace treaty" signed between the two countries.
Katz made these remarks during a ceremony commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the death of former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
He remarked, "Egypt is the largest and strongest Arab country - and it remains so."
He noted that the peace treaty "removed Egypt from the circle of war, in a leadership decision that changed the course of history and placed the State of Israel - and it remains so to this day."
Katz added, "However, we will not allow them (the Egyptians) to violate the peace treaty, and we will not permit structural violations. We are dealing with the matter, but the agreement is in place."
The Israeli newspaper pointed out that Katz's comments came in response to rumors circulated by right-wing elements on the internet about Egyptian military preparations to unexpectedly attack Israel despite the peace treaty.
These rumors have raised concerns among many Israelis.
Recently, Egypt and its military have faced criticism from Israeli politicians and officials.
Last week, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid suggested in a speech at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington that Egypt should govern the neighboring Palestinian Gaza Strip for 15 years in exchange for canceling its foreign debts.
Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi also expressed concern about what he termed "the security threat from Egypt," asserting that it does not currently pose a threat to Tel Aviv, but that could change at a moment's notice, according to Channel 14.
Halevi stated, "Egypt has a large army equipped with advanced weaponry, aircraft, submarines, and sophisticated missiles, along with a very large number of tanks and infantry fighters."
This is not the first time in recent history that an Israeli official has expressed concern about Egypt's military situation. Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has voiced worries about the arming of the Egyptian military.
At the end of January, Danon said, "They have no threats in the region. Why do the Egyptians need all these submarines and tanks?"
In response, Egypt's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Osama Abdel Khalek, said in February, "Since Danon has given himself the right to question, the answer is clear, simple, and direct: Powerful and large countries like Egypt require strong armies capable of defending national security in all its dimensions through adequate and diverse armament."
He continued, "I affirm that Egypt was the first to lay the foundations for peace in the Middle East, and it is committed to the peace process as a strategic option, but it is capable of defending its national security with a strong army, backed by a history spanning thousands of years."
Ambassador Abdel Khalek emphasized that "the Egyptian military doctrine is defensive, but it is also capable of deterrence."
On March 26, 1979, Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in Washington following the "Camp David" agreement between the two sides in 1978, with key provisions including the cessation of hostilities and normalization of relations, the complete withdrawal of Israeli military and civilian forces from the Sinai Peninsula, and the establishment of a demilitarized zone.
