Egypt Threatens to Nullify Israel Peace Treaty: What’s Next?

In an iconic moment at Camp David, Maryland, under President Jimmy Carter’s watchful eye, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin sealed a historic peace deal with a handshake. This agreement has maintained peace between Israel and Egypt for over four decades, a beacon of stability in a tumultuous region.

Despite challenges, including two Palestinian Intifadas and conflicts between Israel and Hamas, the peace has endured. However, recent developments have put this agreement under threat. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s commitment to a military operation in Rafah, Gaza, near the Egyptian border, has prompted Egypt to consider revoking the peace treaty.

The treaty, originating from negotiations in 1977 and formalized at Camp David in 1978, marked a significant shift in Middle Eastern politics. It required Israel to return the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, which in return, would remain demilitarized. The accord allowed Israeli ships passage through the Suez Canal and established full diplomatic relations between Israel and an Arab nation for the first time.

This peace framework, born out of courageous leadership, is now at risk according to Paige Alexander of the Carter Center, who calls for a resurgence of such bold leadership.

Currently, Egypt has signaled a potential suspension of the peace treaty in response to any Israeli invasion of Rafah. Netanyahu argues that conquering Rafah is crucial to defeat Hamas, but Egypt fears an incursion could push Palestinians into Egyptian territory and disrupt humanitarian aid through Rafah, Gaza’s primary aid entry point.

Rafah’s significance has grown as it shelters an estimated 1.4 million Palestinians displaced from other Gaza regions, raising concerns about where these evacuees could go in the event of an Israeli offensive.

Invalidating the treaty would have profound implications. It could force Israel to reinforce its southern border, stretching its military resources thin across multiple fronts. For Egypt, terminating the treaty could endanger the financial aid received from the U.S. since the agreement’s inception and further burden its economy.

Revoking the peace treaty would not only affect military and financial aspects for both nations but could also escalate regional tensions, marking a catastrophic shift in the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape.