Smotrich’s Sinai Threat Puts Egypt’s Peace Framework in Focus

Remarks by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich about Sinai have drawn criticism in Cairo, putting the tension between defending Egyptian sovereignty and preserving peace with Israel in the spotlight.

Speaking on the eve of the anniversary of the October War, Smotrich said there would be “no Sinai” if Egypt attacked Israel. His warning invoked a hypothetical Egyptian attack, not an assault reported to have taken place.

The threat touched on one of the most sensitive issues in relations between the two countries: Egyptian sovereignty over Sinai. Its timing, linked to the anniversary of the war, added to its political weight.

Egypt and Israel have been bound by a peace treaty since 1979. That framework makes a threat involving Egyptian territory especially contentious, even when presented as a warning about a hypothetical conflict.

The criticism in Cairo highlights the challenge of rejecting such rhetoric without allowing it to dictate the course of bilateral relations. At issue is how to defend sovereignty while safeguarding the peace framework that has governed relations for decades.