UAE backs Egypt on Philadelphi Corridor amid Israeli claims
Strongly condemns offensive Israeli statements that threaten regional stability
Dubai: The UAE has expressed full solidarity with Egypt in addressing Israeli claims and allegations concerning the Philadelphi Corridor.
The UAE also strongly condemned the offensive Israeli statements that threaten regional stability and could exacerbate the current situation, WAM news agency reported. In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) praised the extensive mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to achieve a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages.
The UAE expressed hope that these efforts would lead to an end to the conflict, alleviate further suffering for Palestinians, and strengthen the foundations for sustainable peace in the region. The Ministry called on Israeli authorities to de-escalate and avoid actions that could heighten tensions and instability.
The UAE reaffirmed its rejection of any practices that violate international resolutions and could lead to further escalation. Hamas wants Israeli troops to withdraw from Philadelphi and other parts of Gaza as part of any ceasefire deal.
Gulf countries have in recent days criticised Netanyahu’s stance on the 14km long corridor, expressing solidarity with Egypt.
Earlier, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in an interview accused Cairo of failing to prevent the cross-border smuggling of arms to Hamas militants in Gaza following Israel’s exit from the Palestinian territory in 2005.
Contraband weaponry, he said, enabled Hamas to carry out the October 7 attack.
Egypt has denied there has been illegal transportation of arms across its border with the territory.
The corridor, including the Rafah crossing, was Gaza’s main outlet to the outside world not under Israeli control until Israel captured it in May during its ground offensive.
Before 2005, the 1979 Camp David peace treaty allowed a limited Israeli military presence in the corridor but prohibited heavy armour. Following Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, responsibility for the corridor fell to Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, with 750 Egyptian police deployed to combat smuggling. However, when Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, the corridor became a point of contention. Israel reasserted control over it in May 2024 amid ongoing military operations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s supporters argue that conceding control of the corridor would reward Hamas for their actions and believe that sustained military pressure is necessary to defeat Hamas, recover hostages, and ensure long-term security for Israel.
Palestinians, on the other hand, view any Israeli presence in Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor, as military occupation that could exacerbate the conflict. They also worry that Israeli control could prolong the closure of the Rafah crossing, which has been crucial for Gaza’s humanitarian needs and movement since the blockade began in 2007.
Egypt is deeply opposed to any Israeli military presence along the Gaza border and has refused to reopen its side of the Rafah crossing unless the Gaza side is returned to Palestinian control.
It has accused Israel of violating annexes to the landmark 1979 peace treaty pertaining to Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza that regulate the deployment of forces along the border. Israeli officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The international community’s stance on the corridor varies. US President Joe Biden and the UN Security Council have called for a complete Israeli withdrawal, but the specific status of the corridors remains unresolved. Egyptian officials, strongly opposed to an Israeli military presence along the Gaza border, have refused to reopen their side of the Rafah crossing without returning control to the Palestinians. The US has not publicly taken a position on the corridor issue, while Hamas accuses it of supporting Israeli demands.
One of the sticking points
Israel is open to negotiating the issue of control of Gaza’s border with Egypt after the end of the war with Hamas, Dermer said, though must maintain troops there for now to prevent the group re-arming during a proposed truce.
Dermer said the question of Israel’s grip on the Philadelphi Corridor is among around a half-dozen disputes holding up a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
“Believe me, Israel’s government wants to get to a deal, said Dermer, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision-making security cabinet. “What we are not willing to do is go to a deal that is going to endanger the security of 10 million Israelis,” Dermer said in an interview with Bloomberg TV,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to attend the UN General Assembly in New York later this month to argue Israel’s case, Dermer said. The almost 11-month-old war has ignited hostilities on other Middle East fronts and become a divisive issue in the US ahead of November’s elections.
“Until we have an actual practical solution on the ground for the Philadelphi Corridor, Israeli forces cannot leave, and for the last 20 years we haven’t had that,” Dermer said.
“We’ve had Egyptian presidents, and they announced that their policy was to stop the smuggling that would go into Gaza. What happened on the ground was a different matter.”
Israel’s government voted to maintain a military presence in Philadelphi corridor.
In the last few weeks, Israel has taken a firmer stance on the Philadelphi corridor, with Netanyahu saying his soldiers are needed there to prevent Hamas smuggling weapons into Gaza from Egypt.
The corridor isn’t the only obstacle. Israel and Hamas are yet to agree how many hostages will be released from Gaza in the first phase of a deal, as well as how many Palestinians will be freed from Israeli jails.