Netanyahu pressures US over Egyptian military buildup in Sinai: Report
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Netanyahu is pressuring Washington to intervene over Egypt's alleged military build-up in Sinai.
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People sit at a lookout overlooking the Sinai desert, while an Egyptian soldier stands near the Palestinian-Egyptian border, as from on a road that was opened for two days during the Jewish holiday of Passover, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, April 16, 2025 (AP Photo)
Axios on Saturday reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged the Trump administration to intervene over Egypt's military activities in the Sinai Peninsula, which Israeli officials claim breach the terms of their so-called 1979 "peace" accord.
According to one US official and two Israeli officials, Netanyahu presented Secretary of State Marco Rubio with a list of concerns during their meeting in occupied al-Quds on Monday.
The Israeli leader accused Egypt of establishing military infrastructure in restricted areas, arguing this amounted to substantial violations of the 1979 agreement, where the United States acts as guarantor.
Two Israeli officials said the Egyptian military has extended runways at air bases in Sinai to accommodate fighter jets and constructed underground facilities that Israeli intelligence believes could be used for missile storage.
While they admitted there is no evidence missiles are currently being housed there, they said Egypt offered "no reasonable explanation" for the projects when questioned through diplomatic and military channels.
"Israel" turned to Washington after failing to resolve the matter directly with Cairo. "What the Egyptians are doing in Sinai is very serious and we are very concerned," a second Israeli official told Axios.
The same official said reduced overflights by the US-led multinational observer force have worsened the situation by limiting monitoring capabilities.
An Egyptian official, however, rejected the allegations and said the Trump administration had not recently raised the matter with Cairo.
Growing Rift Between Cairo and Tel Aviv
This comes amid strained relations between "Israel" and Egypt, which have worsened since Netanyahu's government was formed in late 2022.
Netanyahu and President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi have not met publicly in nearly three years, nor is there a record of a phone call between them since mid-2023.
Egypt has repeatedly warned against any Israeli attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza into Sinai, calling such a move a threat to national security. In response to these fears, Cairo has reinforced its forces near the Gaza border.
Netanyahu, for his part, has publicly accused Egypt of "imprisoning against their will residents in Gaza who want to leave a war zone."
Economic fallout
Netanyahu has even sought to weaponize economic ties against Cairo. Israeli media revealed that he ordered the freezing of a $35 billion gas export deal with Egypt, citing the same allegations of treaty violations in Sinai.
The freeze highlights "Israel's" willingness to politicize vital energy contracts at a moment when Egypt faces mounting energy shortfalls and when the deal was expected to bolster Cairo's domestic supply.
Analysts describe the suspension as part of a broader Israeli strategy of coercion, aimed at pressuring Egypt into compliance with its security dictates.
Read more: Egypt monitoring, studying ‘Greater Israel’ claims: PM Madbouly
Regional Implications
The rift was further sharpened by "Israel's" recent strike on Qatar. During a speech in Doha, Sisi directly addressed Israelis, warning that Netanyahu’s policies endangered the peace treaty and obstructed prospects for further normalization with Arab states.
Israeli officials have also expressed unease over reports that Egypt is exploring the formation of a joint Arab military force in response to mounting Israeli aggressions.
On September 14, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid acknowledged that the proposal, alongside recent votes by allied Arab states in favor of recognizing a Palestinian state, represented a “severe blow” to normalization efforts.
