A surprise visit by the chief of staff of the Egyptian army to the border area with the Gaza Strip reduces cross-border messages and confirms “red lines”.
During the visit, Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, Chief of staff of the Egyptian armed forces, inspected the procedures for securing the north-eastern strategic direction of the border with Palestine.
A visit that military experts and strategists saw as sending clear messages-regionally and internationally-about the vigilance of the forces stationed on the borders and their military readiness.
“The visit sends a message to those who are interested that the Egyptian Armed Forces on the border are very ready for any development,”said Egyptian military expert and strategist Major General Samir Farag.
In an interview with Al-Ain news, Faraj added that” the message is more clear after the allegations published by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “adding:”it also works to raise the morale of the personnel there, especially they are on the front.
Netanyahu has previously claimed in statements that “Hamas receives weapons from Egypt through the Philadelphia axis”.
Egypt expressed its “complete rejection of the statements made by Netanyahu, through which he tried to use Egypt’s name to distract the attention of the Israeli public opinion and obstruct reaching a ceasefire deal and the exchange of hostages and detainees,”the statement said.
According to the Egyptian expert, “the visit sends a message to the troops that the Egyptian leadership appreciates them and appreciates their efforts,” noting that “in case of violation of the Camp David agreement, Egypt has the right to take action whether by resorting to the International Court of justice or the Security Council and the UN General Assembly.
“Egypt’s message is clear to everyone that the Egyptian forces on the border are ready at any time,” he stressed.
For his part, the expert on National Security Affairs, Major General Mohammed Abdul Wahid, said that the visit “constitutes a strong message that the armed forces are able to protect the land, the sovereignty of the state and its borders in all directions”.
“Especially if those geographical and strategic borders could affect national security,” Abdel Wahed added in an interview with Al-Ain news, pointing out that “the visit came at a very sensitive time for the tensions in Egyptian-Israeli relations.
He pointed out that the tension “was reflected on the Egyptian interior and on public opinion, and therefore it was necessary to conduct a procedure in which many messages were addressed”.
Among the internal messages, the expert continues, that “the Egyptian leadership and its armed forces are keen to protect its geographical and strategic borders and protect its national security”.
“The Egyptian Armed Forces are able to protect their borders against any risks and have a high readiness,”he said.
He explained that there is an important message to the people, especially that the armed forces are there and strongly to face any threat they may face there, pointing out that they ” have not and will not allow to cross the red lines of their threat
According to the expert, the visit also includes “sending a special message to Israel specifically and to the Israeli government because of the heavy involvement of Egypt’s name during the previous period, and the prime minister’s statements not to leave the Philadelphia axis, despite the fact that this means a violation of the peace agreement signed between the two countries”.
He stressed that “Cairo rejects the Israeli presence or the presence of any Israeli military,” stressing that “Egypt has not and will not stand idly by in front of these violations.
Source: Al Ain news
