Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has again threatened Egypt over the Sinai Peninsula. He said that if Egypt attacked Israel, it would lose Sinai, and that neighbouring countries should be judged more by their military capabilities than by their declared intentions.
In an interview, he cast doubt on assurances given by Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who said recently that he has no territorial ambitions in the region and no wish to go to war with Israel. Smotrich said he could not trust those assurances.
Israel would only feel secure, Smotrich said, once Egypt understood that if it attacked next time, “there will be no such thing as Sinai”. His earlier comments on Sinai had also caused controversy. In a video interview he had said Egypt would lose Sinai if it attacked Israel.
Cairo rejected the Israeli minister’s remarks, calling them an “empty threat”. Egypt also restated its ability to defend its territory and independence.
Last week Sisi answered the Israeli minister’s remarks at the armed forces’ 44th cultural seminar, held to mark the 53rd anniversary of victory in the October 1973 war.
Sisi said the country had fought to defend its territory and had recovered all the land it lost. Maintaining national security and stability and protecting the interests of the people are now Egypt’s main priorities, he said.
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