Egypt’s Sisi refers to Israel as ‘enemy’ for first time since before 1977 Sadat visit to Jerusalem
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi called Israel as a “enemy” at the Arab-Islamic summit, claiming that his actions threatened the security of Egypt and the future peace agreements, including by fleeing the Gazans.
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi called Israel as an “enemy” during his closing speech at the Arab-Islamic summit in Doha earlier this week.
The head of the Egyptian State of State of State, Diaa Rashwan, commented in a Tuesday television interview that “the last time that the word” enemy “had been used by the senior official of Egypt, or by any state official, was previously” at the time, Anwar Sadat went to Israel and spoke to the Knesset in 1977.
Sadat’s visit was a major step on the path of the 1979 Camp David agreements, which offered a normalization of relations and a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.
Rashwan said Sissi referring to Israel as an enemi has “very important implications” because “Egypt is threatened, and only an enemy threatens national security … A friend does not threaten your national security”.
One of these national security threats is the possible displacement of refugees from the Gaza Strip trying to cross the border of Rafah in the Sinai peninsula in Egypt, noted Rashwan.
Trucks carrying humanitarian aid behaving near Rafah’s border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, in the middle of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, Egypt, August 13, 2025. (Credit: String / Reuters)
Sissi’s closing speech at the conference included a conviction declared that Egypt and its Arab partners must “change our positions concerning the enemy’s perception of us, so that they see an Arab country, extending from the ocean to the Gulf, has an umbrella that extends to all Islamic countries”.
Sisi also said on Monday that the current actions of Israel had hindered new peace treaties in the Middle East every chance.
In remarks intended for Israel, he declared at the Arab-Islamic summit in Doha: “What is currently going on is currently hindering the future of peace, threatens your security and the security of the peoples of the region and adds obstacles to the chances for any new peace agreement and even abandoned those existing.”
Egypt seeking to form a NATO style force, reports the complaint
Egypt seeks to rekindle a joint Arab military force modeled on NATO, according to several reports in the Arab language on Saturday which connect this decision to the War of Israel-Hamas and to an Arab-Islamic summit expected in Doha on Monday.
Sources include Pro-Hezbollah in Lebanon Al-Akhbar Journal, which cited a government source in Cairo.
In London Al-Quds al-Arabi said Sisi strives to rebuild Arabic support for a rapid reaction force that could be deployed to protect any attacked Arab state, and said the proposal was launched during recent diplomatic contacts before the summit. The point of sale has framed the idea as a defensive umbrella rather than an escalation with Israel.
Palestinian outing Ma’an brought similar details and said Cairo discusses the contribution to around 20,000 Egyptian soldiers and sought to place an Egyptian four -star Egyptian officer in charge, with Saudi Arabia as the main partner if the plan advances. Ma’an characterized discussions as in progress.
Discussions focus on how such a body works, Cairo stressing that it must be shaped online with demographic and military data from participating Arab countries.
GCC denounces Israel’s strikes on Qatar
Gulf leaders said on Monday that the joint defense organization of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) would meet in Doha after the attack on Israel against Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital last week.
In a press release, the managers called for measures to activate the “joint defense mechanism” of the block, adding that the unified military command of the GCC should “take the necessary executive measures to activate the joint defense mechanisms and the deterrents of the Gulf”.
The CCG also said that Israel’s strikes on Qatar have violated the joint defense agreement of the CCG, which considers the assault against a CCG member as an assault against all members of the CCG.
The CCG also warned that “Israel’s assault against the fraternal state of Qatar was a direct threat to share the security of the Gulf, regional peace and stability”.
The staff of the Jerusalem Post, Reuters and the media line contributed to this report.
