Egypt has accelerated its mediation efforts between Israel and the Palestinians to reduce the chances of a violent outbreak in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria during Ramadan, partly out of fear of its spread to the Gaza Strip during the holy month of fasting for Muslims. Egyptian officials said that as part of the efforts, delegations from Hamas and Islamic Jihad arrived in Cairo this week after talks were held with Israeli officials.
Two Egyptian officials said that Cairo believes that the situation could get out of control, mainly due to Palestinian sensitivities regarding Israeli control over access to Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, which will begin at the end of March. According to the sources, Egypt also asked the US to contact Israel to help prevent a violent outbreak, and at the same time made efforts to talk with the Islamic Jihad.
Egyptian efforts to prevent a confrontation during Ramadan: "If something explodes in the West Bank - it will ignite Gaza as well" https://t.co/IGp3maPK0f
ā Israel Conflict News (@IsraelGazaICN) February 10, 2023
"More than ever, Egypt is worried about the possibility of a conflict in 2023, since it is recognized that it would be difficult to curb the activities of some ministers in the new extremist government in Israel," a Palestinian official told Reuters. "Egypt understands that if things explode in the West Bank, it will ignite an explosion in Gaza as well,ā he continued.
On Thursday morning, a Hamas delegation led by the head of the terrorist organization's political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, arrived in Cairo. An Egyptian source told the "A-Sharq Al-Awast" newspaper that the consultations with the Hamas delegation came after similar consultations with the Islamic Jihad. "Egypt is racing against time to stop any escalation that could lead to further bloodshed," the source added.
In recent days, senior Islamic Jihad official, Daoud Shihab, accused Israel of trying to change the status quo in Jerusalem and the 'West Bank' which comprises Judea and Samaria, as he put it while referring to the government's plans to expand construction in the settlements and increase Jewish visits to the Temple Mount where Al Aqsa is located.
The US asked Egypt to mediate between the Palestinians and Israel to prevent a security escalation ahead of the month of Ramadan.
ā ××× × ×× ×× ×× yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) February 9, 2023
Israel rejected an Egyptian demand to stop IDF activity against the armed groups in the West Bank. pic.twitter.com/XwXuXCIhXW
Shihab said that his organization indicated to the Egyptians that "no one will be able to restrain themselves if the Israeli provocations continue during Ramadan."
Egypt's efforts and the appeal to the US come against the background of the warning issued by the head of the CIA, William Burns, who visited Israel two and a half weeks ago, according to which the fragile situation in the region and the growing violence between Israelis and Palestinians could lead to the outbreak of a third intifada.
#Egypt has stepped up mediation between #Israel and the #Palestinians in a bid to tamp down #violence in #Jerusalem and the occupied #WestBank and to prevent its spread to the Gaza Strip ahead of the Muslim holy month of #Ramadan, officials said.https://t.co/znwuLw1VHY
ā LBCI Lebanon English (@LBCI_News_EN) February 10, 2023
In a rare appearance at Georgetown University that took place a few days ago, Burns, who recently met with Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen, said: "The conversations I had with the leaders left me with concerns. I was a senior diplomat during the second intifada, and like my colleagues in the intelligence community, I am concerned. We see today an unpleasant reminder of some of the realities we saw then. Part of the CIA's responsibility is to work as closely as possible with the Israeli and Palestinian security services, to prevent an outbreak of violence, such as we have seen in recent weeks. It will be a big challenge."
