Editor’s Note – Mohammed Morsi, the new President of Egypt, a Muslim Brotherhood leader, has from the day he took office, openly rejects the 1979 treaty with Israel. In his latest effort, he offers an excuse to re-militarize the Sinai, which would largely negate the treaty, by saying he wishes to develop the land for the 500,000 people who live in the barren desert climate.
Of course, he claims the right to protect Egyptian lands, people, and infrastructure as any nation would, except for one fact, the only nation that physically borders it is Israel. Saudi Arabia is close but like Israel, it is not an enemy, unless of course the treaty dies. It is obvious that he has ulterior motives, but SUA bets Hillary Clinton and the Obama White House have no qualms about allowing it.
Egypt’s Morsi seeks to revise ’79 treaty with Israel, militarize the Sinai
Special to WorldTribune.com
CAIRO — Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, in what would constitute a significant revision of the 1979 treaty with Israel, wants to re-militarize the Sinai Peninsula.
Morsi’s adviser has told the legislature that the peace agreement with Israel must be amended to end the demilitarization of Sinai. Mohammed Ismat Sef Al Dawla said Egypt could not secure Sinai without a military presence throughout the peninsula.
Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.
“The peace treaty doesn’t allow for the protection [of Sinai], because it disarms two thirds [of the peninsula],” Al Dawla said.
In testimony to the Shura Council on Sept. 13, Al Dawla said Sinai could not be developed without an Egyptian military presence. He cited a $263 million plan by Morsi to develop Sinai’s infrastructure as well as provide jobs to the 400,000-member Bedouin community.
Al Dawla, addressing the council’s Arab Affairs Committee, said the counter-insurgency operation in Sinai in August highlighted the weakness of Cairo’s position. He said Israel threatened to block Egypt’s military deployment.
“The Israeli media threatened to storm Sinai to mount pressure on Egypt,” Al Dawla said. “This requires Egypt to move to amend the treaty to take full control of the land of Sinai.”
During his campaign for president, Morsi suggested that the treaty with Israel must undergo revisions. But since he assumed office in late June, the president has not issued any statement on the future of relations with the Jewish state.
The CI campaign in Sinai has entered its second stage. Officials said the second stage focused on intelligence to locate suspected insurgents and arms caches.
Bedouins have asserted that police and special forces were raiding homes in northern Sinai. The head of the Tarabin tribe, said to be linked to massive arms and fuel smuggling, reported nearly nightly police raids around the provincial capital of El Arish. “They do not care that women might be inside the houses they are storming,” Hamed Abu Oshb, the Tarabin chief, said.
