The role of Egypt in the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas
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Alaina
- . May 24, 2021
- . Update: May 25, 2021 6:26 pm
The Egyptian president al Sisi exploited the situation between Israel and Hamas to create diplomatic spaces and continue to build his international standing. But also, for internal reasons explains Alessia MelcangiItalian professor of Contemporary History of North Africa and the Middle East at Sapienza in Rome and non-resident fellow of the Atlantic Council.
In the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas – after eleven days of war and dozens of broken lives – Egypt has played a crucial role. Indeed, the United States asked rather forcefully to stop the government of Benjamin Netanyahu (who publicly replied spades, but had slowed down the attacks on Gaza and then stopped them); It is also true that Turkey has tried to profit from the crisis by exploiting the Palestinian side to support the image of the global defender of Muslims, but it was Cairo that played a not surprising key role.
The ceasefire reached in the night between the Israeli government and Hamas allowed President Abdel Fattah al Sisi to add another success to the strategy he has been pursuing for some time at the international level, namely to focus on a renewed diplomatic posture by proposing himself as the ” privileged interlocutor at the regional level for the resolution of the tensions afflicting the Middle Eastern quadrant, first of all, the Libyan one, explains Alessia Melcangi, professor of Contemporary History of North Africa and the Middle East at Sapienza in Rome and non-resident fellow of Atlantic Council.
“The escalation of recent days has allowed Egypt to further strengthen its regional weight – adds Melcangi to Formiche.net – through a role already played by Cairo and when Israel withdrew its troops from Gaza in 2005 and Hamas conquered the Strip in 2007 “.
Egypt has taken a trajectory that among other things fits perfectly with the current flow in the MENA region and with Washington’s wishes. Joe Biden’s America wants the region to talk because it seeks stability, which is the central element for the orderly management of the area. Management necessary to follow the strategic commitment towards disengagement – to reorient efforts in other areas of the world, for example, the Indo Pacific (triggering area of the global Chinese containment).
In this mood, Egypt fits in and finds direct and indirect spaces. An advantage, because it stands as a mediator and therefore strengthens relations with the various fronts, and because in American eyes it is seen as a partner (or rather a satellite) who has understood the needs of power. The final step in closing the Israeli-Palestinian negotiation came after a telephone conversation between Biden and Sisi. And the American president has publicly acknowledged the important role played by Egypt. Israeli media were the first to report that the ceasefire – which began on the night between Thursday and Friday 21 May – had been mediated according to a work conducted from Cairo. With sources describing Egyptian activities, they tell them guided by intelligence, which has carried on relations with both Hamas and the Israelis. And it was the Palestinian group first to accept the request to stop the weapons; then Tel Aviv.
