Israel is willing to keep Camp David peace treaty with Egypt unchanged

Egypt-Israeli border

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Sunday, 23 September, in his interview to Associated Press that Israel is not going to change any terms of the Camp David peace treaty signed between Egypt and Israel in 1979. This peace accords consider being a source of stability in the whole region, added Israeli official, so there is no need to make changes in it.

This statement of Avigdor Lieberman followed the recent calls of Egyptian politicians to review and renegotiate the terms of the unpopular among the Egyptians peace treaty with the neighboring state.

It is worth mentioning here that the peace treaty which was signed between Egypt and Israel in 1979 was supported by Egypt’s long standing and now ousted President Hosni Mubarak. But after Mubarak has stepped down the calls for changing of the peace treaty and even the calls for cancelling it were very common in Egypt, especially after the Islamist political powers have got the majority.

Muslim Brotherhood members and representatives have been also calling for the revision of the terms of Camp David as this peace treaty is serving Israeli interests more than defending Egyptian sovereignty, think Islamists.

Thus one of the advisers of Egypt’s current President Mohamed Morsy, Mohamed Essmat Seif El-Dawla, called for a renegotiating over the changing of some terms of the peace accords. He stressed that there is no need to keep this peace treaty unchanged during more than 30 years, and some changes should be done due to the current situation on the Middle East.

Israeli official Avigdor Lieberman in his turn have been spoken regarding the issue of Camp David peace treaty two days after the new attack happened on the border between Egypt and Israel in Sinai. This attack was a part of the series of the ongoing attacks and clashes of extremist and terrorist forces operating in Sinai and responsible for the tragic and terrible August attack on the border checkpoint which took the lives of several Egyptian soldiers and was the real shock for the state’s Armed Forces since long time.

Avigdor Lieberman, Israeli Foreign Minister

Egypt’s Armed Forces started the massive military operation in the region in attempt to eliminate the terrorist activity, to fight the extremists groups and to restore security and stability in Sinai. The additional military troops, armored vehicles and even air craft were deployed in the area in the frameworks of the “Operation Eagle”.

But according to the terms of Camp David peace accords Egypt is not allowed to have increased military presence in some zones of Sinai, and the number of armed forces and type of the weapons on the border are also limited. Any additional deployment of the military forces should be considered with Israel and in case the approval will not be received those deployments will be considered being the violation of the peace treaty.

During the military operation conducted by Egypt’s military in Sinai since August this year, there were several statements of the Israeli authorities accusing Egypt of the violation of Camp David. Thus Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak stated that Israel hopes Egypt will withdraw its troops and tanks from Sinai after the operation will be finished. The statement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was even harsher. But Egyptian armed forces claim they made a request and received an approval for deployment of the additional forces in the region, so the military operation was conducted in coordination and cooperation with the neighboring Israel.

In light of all those events the calls of the new negotiations in attempt to review the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel and to make some important changes in it become more active and common in Egypt. Under current circumstances Egypt needs more independence and freedom of action in Sinai region, and the need of requests and approvals from the Israeli side restricts the sovereignty of the Egyptian state and prevents its army to fulfill its duty defending the country and its citizens. So the changes are needed in the Camp David peace treaty, as this peace accord might serve the interests and security of the both countries, Egypt and Israel as well.

Mohamed Morsy, Egyptian President

After the recent attack on the border Israel gave its approval and allowed Egyptian armed force to deploy the additional military troops in the area in the frameworks of the ongoing operation. But while Egyptian officials state that such a situation restricts Egypt and prevent it from maintaining the full control and security in Sinai, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stressed that the problem of Sinai is not the number of the troops and weapons and their types but the readiness of the armed forces to fight and to carry out their job. That’s why he thinks the changes of the terms of the peace accords are not needed, so Israel is willing to keep this document unchanged.

The statement of Israeli official regarding the issue of Camp David peace treaty came the day after Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsy told the US New York Times that USA should also uphold its commitments regarding the Palestinian people if it is about the Camp David peace treaty. Egyptian President said earlier that he will support and uphold all the international treaties signed by Egypt and Camp David as well, but the changes and revision of its terms are needed.