The past few hours witnessed intense activity regarding the crisis in the Gaza Strip, as several contacts and meetings took place, including the lightning visit made by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the day before yesterday, Monday, to the Jordanian capital, Amman, during which he met with King Abdullah II.

During the visit, the two parties discussed many issues related to the war on Gaza, including “the future of the Strip after the war, scenarios regarding the form of governance there and the possibility of forming a joint Arab force,” according to what private Egyptian sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Meanwhile, Jordanian King Abdullah II and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed held a phone call last Monday, during which they discussed the situation in Gaza. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also received a call from US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Last Wednesday, Director of Egyptian General Intelligence, Major General Abbas Kamel, met with the head of the Israeli Shin Bet, Ronen Bar.

Communications to discuss the future of governance in the Gaza Strip

Sources who spoke to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed confirmed that all the contacts that took place during the past few days dealt with the issue of the future of governance in the Gaza Strip and ideas for forming a joint Arab force, or for Egypt to return to ruling the Strip as it was before 1967, which was rejected. By Egypt and the Arab countries.

An Egyptian source confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed a few days ago that Cairo categorically refused to participate in a multinational force operating inside Gaza, and it also expressed its refusal for any non-Palestinian party to assume responsibility for ruling or managing the Strip.

According to the Egyptian source, the Arab-agreed formula included that “there is no willingness to contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza except within the framework of a comprehensive political solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as well as recognition of a Palestinian state before negotiations, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.”

The scenario of Egypt returning to rule the Gaza Strip cannot be implemented

In a related context, an Egyptian source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed yesterday, Tuesday, that “all the controversy surrounding the possibility of Egypt returning to managing the Gaza Strip as the situation was before June 5, 1967, is nothing more than Western scenarios and ideas that cannot be accepted for application on the ground.

The source added, "The Egyptian official position is clear on this matter and does not accept interpretation. It is to reject absolute intervention in the Gaza Strip, because that constitutes an attack on the lands of others and threatens to lose the possibility of establishing a sovereign Palestinian state."

The source pointed out that Egypt "can play other roles that help end the war on the Gaza Strip, begin a new phase of reconstruction, and contribute to training Palestinian cadres responsible for managing security in the Gaza Strip, after consulting with the various Palestinian political forces."

Regarding the issue of Egypt’s return to administering the Gaza Strip being raised in negotiations between international and regional parties, and whether the Hamas movement would accept such a proposal, the official in charge of the Hamas movement’s political department in Gaza, Bassem Naim, confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that “this issue was not raised at all.” 

He added, "Regional positions have not changed much from before, meaning they have neither retreated nor advanced, but they were certainly not pressing enough to stop the war on Gaza, with the exception of some interventions that occurred from some countries."

Egypt rejects Israel imposing any administration of Gaza

The former Assistant to the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ambassador Hussein Haridi, confirmed, in an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that Egypt “does not accept that Gaza will return to its administration as was the case before the 1967 war,” adding that Egypt “absolutely rejects Israel imposing any administration of Gaza without consultation with all Palestinian parties."

For his part, the former Assistant to the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Ashaal, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, “Israel seeks to impose an administration on the Gaza Strip, of which Hamas is not a part. It wants to remove Hamas from existence until it secures and implements the Zionist project, which is Emptying Palestine of its people and bringing in the Jews of the world to replace them in Greater Israel.” He stressed that "the Palestinian resistance and Hamas will not accept the plan for the day after the war."

The resistance imposed a reality that is difficult to ignore

For his part, the Vice President of the Arab Center for Political Studies, Mukhtar Al-Ghobashi, said in an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, “The issue of Egypt’s return to the administration of Gaza has been raised a lot lately by Israel and some parties, but it has become impossible now, because the Palestinian resistance imposed a certain reality in Gaza, that is difficult to ignore.”

In turn, Professor of Political Sociology, Mohamed Sayed Ahmed, told Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, “There is a severe difficulty in the proposal regarding Egypt’s return to administering the Gaza Strip, as was the situation before June 1967, because this proposal means that Egypt is a partner of the Zionist enemy in what It happens in Gaza.

He added: “Therefore, I think that this proposal will be rejected by official Egypt, because the situation is very difficult, and the Zionist enemy is in a difficult situation in Gaza and has not won, and therefore it is difficult for him to impose his post-war will on Gaza, because the talk now is still in Gaza, and the resistance is still resisting and the enemy is suffering huge losses.”

For his part, Ammar Fayed, a researcher in political science and international relations, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, “Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Turkey are invited to contribute to shaping the future of the Gaza Strip, but these countries say that the scenario will not be corrected in this way, and Egypt says It will not succeed, and the Americans’ position pushes for the return of the Palestinian Authority, and they are trying to put pressure on (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu in this context.”