Egyptian civil society leaders urge government to 'review entire relationship' with Israel

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A diverse group of Egyptian civil society leaders and intellectuals have expressed their alarm at Israel's wars in Gaza and Lebanon, at a meeting with Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

Some of those gathered – including writers, professors and former officials from across the political spectrum – at the new administrative capital, urged their government to reconsider Egypt's relationship with Israel, as Israeli wars continue to take a heavy toll on civilians.

In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty and establish relations with Israel, after fighting several wars.

Over the past year, about 41,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry, while more than 1,900 people have been killed in Lebanon, Lebanon's disaster management agency said on Wednesday.

Israel's strikes and ground offensive in Gaza and cross-border fighting with Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah followed a Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities on October 7 last year, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 240 abducted.

At Wednesday's meeting with Mr Madbouly, civil society representatives presented their views on how Egypt should respond, mindful of the country's domestic challenges.

“I, of course, am like many Egyptian and Arabs, who has feelings of humanity inside me, watching what Israel is doing and the depravity that they're using to deal with the situation deeply pains me,” Osama El Ghazaly Harb, head of board of trustees of the liberal Free Egyptians Party, told The National on Thursday.

The 77-year-old writer, who has largely retired from politics, said his condemnation stems from heartache over the bloodshed, not solidarity with the militant groups who launched offensives on Israel. He said the October 7 attack drew civilian populations into a war that could have been avoided.

Acknowledging the constraints of Egypt's peace treaty with Israel and the country's struggling economy, he proposed a range of options to demonstrate disapproval – ranging from from recalling diplomats to selective boycotts.

“I am not saying this to honour Hamas, but Israel has crossed every line of humanity with its genocide, first in Gaza and now with the same savage tactics being used in Lebanon,” he said.

Nevine Mossaad, a political science professor at Cairo University, told The National she had recommended the government undertake a complete revision of ties with Israel – particularly in the energy sector.

“The ambassador step is a temporary step, we need a more long-term solution,” Ms Mossad said. “The practical step is to review our entire relationship with Israel.”

She urged keeping Cairo's nascent rapprochement with Iran on ice for now, warning that Egypt and the turbulent region at large cannot withstand further polarisation between Iranian and Israeli spheres of influence. This was even more crucial considering the increased tension following Iran's missile strikes on Israel on Tuesday night, in retaliation for Israeli operations in Lebanon.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has pledged to maintain a policy of “balance, moderation and objectivity” as the conflict expands, warning that the spread of violence could spell disaster for the region and the world.

Speaking at a police graduation ceremony on Sunday, Mr El Sisi acknowledged growing public concern, particularly following Israel's strikes on Lebanon, which killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and have displaced more than one million people.

Egypt has also suffered economic losses, with Suez Canal revenue falling by more than $6 billion in the past eight months, Mr El Sisi said.

Shipping in the Red Sea has been disrupted by attacks on vessels by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Iran-backed Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Hamas.

Despite these challenges, Mr El Sisi said Egypt would remain stable, as long as its people remained united. He warned that an upsurge in “lies, slander, and rumours” against his regime was a threat to that unity.