Photo: Associated Press
In response to rumours of a possible Egyptian attack on Israel, which have been actively spreading in social media and among right-wing political circles in recent weeks, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has attempted to reassure the public. According to Cursorinfo, the commander of the IDF’s 80th Division, Brigadier General Itamar Ben Haim, said that the scenario of an attack by Egypt is not currently considered realistic.
“The IDF sees no threat of an Egyptian attack in the near future, and we are not taking any special military preparations for this eventuality,” Ben Haim said, addressing residents of the border areas.
However, not everyone shares the army’s calmness. Civil society activists from the Otef Yisrael Forum, an organisation representing the interests of residents of the Israeli-Egyptian border, were sceptical of the IDF’s assurances.
“Until 7 October, we were told that everything was under control, and as a result, we had a disaster. We do not want to make the same mistake again,” the group said in a statement.
Additional concerns were raised by the recent statement by Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter, who publicly stated that Egypt was violating the peace treaty by building offensive military bases. His words provoked a sharp reaction from Cairo, and the video of his speech was subsequently removed from the network without explanation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi confirmed that the situation on the Egyptian direction is under close control, as “Egypt’s position can change quickly”.
It should be reminded that official Cairo had previously explained the military build-up in Sinai by internal security considerations and the fight against terrorism, denying any aggressive intentions towards Israel.
However, against the backdrop of the war in Gaza, rising regional tensions and a lack of trust in official statements, part of Israeli society is demanding greater openness and readiness for any scenario.
