As reported earlier on this website, the country of Egypt began moving Anti-Aircraft missiles and Artillery to its Border at Rafah, Gaza over Israeli intent to invade. Yesterday, both Jordan and Saudi Arabia warned Israel publicly . . .
On Friday, a phone call between Israel and Egypt went straight off the rails over Israel's announced intention to invade Rafah. During that call, Israel told Egypt they would be "taking" both sides of the Rafah Border Crossing from Gaza to Egypt. The Egyptians reminded Israel that the southern side of that crossing is Egyptian territory and they cannot send troops to take it. The call went back and forth and finally degenerated when Israel told Egypt, "We took Gaza from you in 1967, we'll take Rafah from you now."
After that call, elements from the Egyptian Army began arriving with Anti-Aircraft missile systems and anti-aircraft artillery. Questions to Egypt about what it was doing were intentionally un-answered. No remarks or explanation to anyone.
Yesterday, Saturday 10 February, Egypt reminded Israel of the Camp David Accords, negotiated by then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and then Israeli Prime Minister, Menachem Begin at the invitation of then-U.S. President, Jimmy Carter.
According to that Treaty, the Rafah area is "Zone D" of the geography covered by the Treaty, and that zone cannot be occupied by Israeli troops as a condition for terminating the war between Israel and Egypt.
Zone D
Zone D is bounded by line D (blue line) on the east and the international boundary on the west, as shown on Map 1 above.
In this Zone there will be an Israeli limited force of four infantry battalions, their military installations, and field fortifications, and United Nations observers.
The Israeli forces in Zone D will not include tanks, artillery and anti-aircraft missiles except individual surface-to-air missiles.
The main elements of the four Israeli infantry battalions will consist of up to 180 armored personnel vehicles of all types and up to a total of four thousand personnel.
Following the Deployment of Troops, Tanks, Armored Vehicles, and Air Defenses by the Egyptian Military towards their Border with the Gaza Strip, Senior Egyptian Officials made clear that if the Israel Defense Force launches its planned Ground Invasion of the southern Gaza Strip and the City of Rafah, likely causing a Massive Surge of Palestinian Refugees towards Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula, then Egypt will be “Forced” to Withdraw from the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty of 1979.
Israel is not allowed to have more military in Rafah as agreed in Camp David. As soon as they have more than "four thousand personnel" or "180 armored personnel vehicles of all types" or "four infantry battalions" in Rafah, they have violated the treaty. Then Egypt is entitled to consider the treaty null and void. Specifically, the Treaty states:
"Article I
The state of war between the Parties will be terminated and peace will be established between them"
This Article will be overturned if Israel invades Rafah, and state of war will return between Egypt and Israel, immediately.
Incidentally, the treaty also states that it:
"is intended to constitute a basis for peace not only between Egypt and Israel but also between Israel and each of its other Arab neighbors which is prepared to negotiate peace with it on this basis;"
Israeli news broadcaster Channel 13 reported on Wednesday that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi refused to coordinate a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to the broadcaster, the Israeli National Security Council, upon Netanyahu's request, attempted to coordinate a phone call with El-Sisi, but the latter did not respond.
A representative from Netanyahu's office confirmed these details, but no further comments were provided.
Today, Sunday, 11 February 2024, M60A3 "Patton" Tanks from the Egyptian Army began arriving at the border, along with armored personnel carriers.
In addition, overnight, both Jordan and Saudi Arabia warned Israel not to invade Rafah.
Saudi Arabia has warned Israel that a planned invasion of the city of Rafah may cause an imminent humanitarian disaster.
The oil-rich nation’s foreign ministry released a statement on Saturday calling for an immediate ceasefire to the conflict. More than half of Gaza's estimated 2.3 million population is now packed into the city.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia warns of the very serious repercussions of storming and targeting the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, which is the last resort for hundreds of thousands of civilians forced by the brutal Israeli aggression to flee," a statement by Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry reads.
"The Kingdom affirms its categorical rejection and strong condemnation of their forcible deportation and renews its demand for an immediate ceasefire."
The warning from Saudi Arabia came on the same day that 31 Palestinians, including 10 children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the city.
JORDAN
Since Jordan entered into the Camp David Treaty, the peace with Jordan will be in risk of being overturned also.
The Foreign Ministry of Jordan also issued a stern public warning:
Here is a machine-translation of the above image:
Early this morning, the UN Agency, UNICEF, issued the following urgent notice:
UNICEF - Situation in Gaza is Catastrophic "Relentless bombing, a massive increase in the displacement of children and families, and no safe places."
It is vital to point out that when UNICEF reports "relentless bombing" taking place in the Gaza Strip, it is the bombing of CIVILIANS.
With Jordan and Saudi Arabia openly warning Israel to stop, and with Egypt publicly warning that they may withdraw from the Camp David Peace Treaty, the Middle East is poised for an explosion in military action.
