Egypt reaffirms sovereignty and security amid foreign convoy tensions at Rafah crossing - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly

Al-Ahram Weekly

19-06-2025

Egypt reasserts national sovereignty amid tensions over the Al-Somoud Convoy, emphasising legal protocols, border security, and continued support for the Palestinian cause in light of regional unrest.
In the light of the difficult circumstances facing the region, notably the ongoing war between Israel and Iran, and the accompanying grave humanitarian and security challenges, Egypt's political parties and MPs affirmed their full support for the Foreign Ministry regarding foreign convoys seeking to visit the border area adjacent to the Gaza Strip or enter the Palestinian territories through the Egyptian Rafah crossing.
'The statement reflects Egypt's commitment to safeguarding its national security, while maintaining its historic support for the Palestinian people,' the Egyptian Parties Alliance, which includes 42 political parties, said on Sunday.
The House of Representatives, the lower house of Egypt's parliament, also slammed the attempts of 'some foreign elements' to organise marches and travel to the border area of Rafah without prior coordination or obtaining proper legal permits.
'These attempts violate Egypt's national security and sovereignty, particularly as they come at a time when the entire region is witnessing an explosive war,' said Parliamentary Speaker Hanafi Gebali.
The reaction came after the Foreign Ministry warned the so-called Al-Somoud (resilience) Convoy about visiting the Rafah crossing area without obtaining prior approval.
In a statement issued on 11 June, the Foreign Ministry said 'it welcomes all international and regional positions, both official and popular, that support Palestinian rights and reject the siege, starvation, and blatant and systematic Israeli violations against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.'
However, it emphasised that 'in the light of recent requests and inquiries regarding visits by foreign delegations to the border area adjacent to Gaza [the city of Arish and the Rafah crossing] to voice support for Palestinian rights, Egypt stipulates the necessity of obtaining prior approvals for such visits.'
The ministry said that 'the only way for the Egyptian authorities to continue looking into such requests is by adhering to the regulatory controls and mechanisms in place since the start of the war on Gaza.'
'This involves submitting an official request to an Egyptian embassy abroad, or through requests made by foreign embassies in Cairo, or by representatives of organisations to the Foreign Ministry.'
The ministry noted that 'numerous visits by foreign delegations, both governmental and non-governmental human rights organisations, have previously been arranged.'
It emphasised that 'Egypt affirms the importance of adhering to the regulatory controls that have been put in place to ensure the security of visiting delegations, given the delicate situation in the border area since the beginning of the Gaza crisis.'
'No requests will be considered and no invitations will be accepted outside the framework defined by the regulatory controls and mechanisms in place in this respect.'
The ministry highlighted the importance of citizens of all countries adhering to the laws and regulations governing entry into Egyptian territory, including obtaining the necessary visas and permits.
The majority Mostaqbal Watan (Nation's Future) Party in parliament said in a statement on Saturday that the Foreign Ministry's statement reflects the state's approach based on respecting national sovereignty and protecting national security, within the framework of strict adherence to international law and the regulation of entry through border crossings.
Party Secretary-General Essam Hilal said Egypt has always supported visits aimed at showing solidarity with the Palestinian people. 'But at the same time all visitors should adhere to the proper legal frameworks, and any requests submitted outside the official channels specified by the Foreign Ministry will not be considered,' he said.
The newly licensed National Front Party warned in a statement on Sunday that some Islamist movements aim to exploit the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza to achieve propaganda goals at the expense of Egypt's national security.
'We suspect that Al-Somoud Convoy aiming to visit the Rafah crossing is affiliated with the banned Muslim Brotherhood group and that it seeks to use this visit to achieve political and ideological goals, a tactic which is completely rejected by the Egyptian state and people,' the statement state.
Tayseer Matar, secretary-general of the Egyptian Parties Alliance, said that 'the true objective of Al-Somoud Convoy is to cause trouble in Egypt rather than show solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.'
'This convoy, which is organised by the political wings of the terrorist organisation the Muslim Brotherhood in different countries, is trying to embarrass the Egyptian government by claiming that it isn't doing enough to help the Palestinians,' Matar said.
Major General Mohamed Salah Abu Himila, head of the People's Republican Party bloc in parliament, said that 'the organisers of Al-Somoud Convoy aim to enter Gaza through Egypt's Rafah crossing and break the siege on the Palestinians. This is a danger for Egypt's national security as the border crossing is governed by strict controls imposed by the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty.'
Abu Himila explained that unofficial convoys attempting to head to the border area with Gaza without coordinating with the authorities raise question marks. 'Do these convoys really aim to show solidarity with Gaza or is there intention to spread chaos in Egypt,' he asked.
Several TV talk shows called for banning the convoy, with commentators associating it with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and dismissing it as a 'public-relations trap designed to embarrass Egypt.'
Journalist Ahmed Moussa, a TV host, said on X that 'vigilance is required to confront this trap, which seeks to put Egypt in an extremely awkward position, whether it allows the convoy to enter or blocks it.'
Moussa said that most of the convoy's members come from Tunisia's Ennahda Party and Algeria's Hams Party, two political arms of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Military and political strategist Samir Farag told Moussa that the convoy was a risk to Egypt's national security. 'The Rafah border area is a military zone where forces are stationed and landmines planted to prevent anybody from entering Gaza. Israel is on the other side of the border,' he said.
The convoy commenced an overland journey from the Tunisian capital on 8 June and reached the Libyan capital Tripoli on 10 June. The participants were planning to cross Egypt's borders this week and join other marchers hailing from Europe, North and South America, Turkey and some Asian nations in Cairo before heading to Arish on 15 June.
From there, they said they planned to march on foot to the Rafah crossing where protest tents would be set up.
Wael Nouar, the convoy's spokesperson, said it was part of a global solidarity march for Gaza involving over 10,000 participants from 32 countries. He said it included between 1,500 and 2,000 participants from across the Maghreb countries of Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, and Mauritania and aimed to put pressure for the opening of the Rafah crossing and the delivery of aid currently stockpiled in Arish.
Regarding the cost of the convoy, Nouar explained it had cost approximately 200,000 Tunisian dinars ($15 million), which came from donations from organisations and individuals. Nouar said the convoy had completed the first phase of its journey on 10 June, 24 hours after its launch, and had successful crossed Tunisian territory.
It began its second phase after entering Libya, where it was welcomed in the Western part of the country controlled by the government of Abdel-Hamid Al-Debeiba. 'We plan to reach the Libyan-Egyptian border on 15 June,' Nouar said.
However, the Libyan News Agency (LANA) reported that when the convoy reached the eastern part of Libya controlled by the Libyan National Army led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, it was stopped at the city of Sirte and was not allowed to continue on its way to the Libyan-Egyptian border.
LANA said a group of Libyan ministers had told the organisers that they must first respect the Egyptian Foreign Ministry's statement regarding coordination through the relevant embassies.
An Egyptian official told the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that 'clear instructions were issued to Egyptian border authorities not to allow the convoy to enter because its participants were not following the necessary regulations.'
'Egypt will never allow anything that threatens its national security or inflame tensions on its borders by individuals whose backgrounds and motives it does not know, given the tense situation in the region.'
Cairo Airport authorities discovered that many individuals who were aiming to participate in the convoy and planning to organise marches to Rafah had entered the country with tourist visas. They were deported to their countries and not allowed to enter Egypt.
Since 11 June, the Egyptian authorities have deported more than 200 activists upon their arrival at Cairo Airport or from hotels in downtown Cairo.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 19 June, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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