Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el Sisi has met United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Cairo on June the 10th. Relations between the US and Egypt are not in a good place since Israel started the war in Gaza. Sisi also reappointed Mostafa Madbouly to the post of prime minister to form a new government.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with President Abdel Fatah el Sisi in Cairo. Secretary Blinken and President El-Sisi discussed the proposal for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza that would secure the release of all hostages. The Secretary thanked President El-Sisi for Egypt’s leadership in mediating the proposal. He underscored that the proposal would alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza and surge humanitarian assistance, and that Hamas should accept it without delay. Secretary Blinken and President El-Sisi continued discussions on plans for post-conflict governance, security and reconstruction in Gaza, which the ceasefire proposal would advance. They also discussed the importance of reopening the Rafah Border Crossing and the need to protect Palestinian civilians and humanitarian workers. The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ rejection of any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.(US Embassy in Egypt(gov.)
It should be clear that Washington and Cairo are preparing for an after math in which Hamas will have no authority over Gaza. Their plan maybe to install the Palestinian Authority (PA) under President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank to retake somewhat limited authority over the coastal strip. Of course, for the brutal war to end, the release of the surviving hostages would be an essential part. However, the key player to end the war is the US itself. All the Americans have to do is cut off the supply weapons and financial aid to Israel. The Americans could call for a full meeting with US President Joe Biden and El-Sisi and other Arab leaders to put pressure on Israel to end the war. However, it is up to Biden and his inner circle to put the pressure on Israel. This could come at the expense of angering the Christian Zionist movement in America.
The war being waged by Israel in Gaza has taken its toll on Egypt.
Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el Sisi has reappointed Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who has been prime minister since 2018, has been tasked with shaping a new and more capable government to tackle issues at home and abroad. The statement said the new cabinet ministers must safeguard national security in light of rising regional and international challenges, combat “terrorism”, and tend to an ailing economy dogged by inflation and need of more local and foreign investment. “Today, I assigned Dr. Mostafa Madbouly to form a new government that consists of the necessary to achieve the desired development in government performance and confront the challenges facing the state,” el-Sisi wrote in a post on X.(Al Jazeera)
El-Sisi is trying to stabilise his economy and state apparatus. He is stuck in sinking quick sand that could envelope him if he makes the wrong move. As Egypt bears the brunt of both the wars in Ukraine and Gaza el-Sisi needs to play his cards carefully. At the moment neither Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu or President Joe Biden care for El-Sisi’s regime. Blinken’s visit to Cairo can be seen as a warning for the Egyptians not to try and do anything foolish or try to find common ground with each other. The re-appointment of Madbouly as prime minister confirms that President El-Sisi trusts him. Madbouly will have his work cut out for him. He has to stabilize Egypt’s security and contain the inflation. In this regard Madbouly has the support of a somewhat new cabinet as well as the president.
Cabinet reshuffles are a normal practice throughout the world.
There was no immediate announcement on when the cabinet would take office. El-Sisi was sworn in for his third term in April after sweeping to victory with 89.6 percent of the vote in an election in December with no serious challengers. He ordered the cabinet reshuffle as Egypt faces security and economic challenges while Israeli forces along the border with the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The Egyptian president has also been working with the United States, both in mediating a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and with getting life-saving treatment aid to Palestinians after the Israeli takeover of Gaza’s border with Egypt last month. As Egypt has tried to manage a chronic foreign exchange shortage and high inflation over the past two years, there had been speculation that Madbouly himself would be replaced.(Al Jazeera)
El-Sisi is threading a dark path. On the one hand he has to contend with the repercussions of the war in Gaza and on the other rising inflation (cost of living). The Egyptian President has imposed restrictions on civil and human rights within his country and moved the entire Egyptian government to the New Administrative Capital to the South east of Cairo. The country is heavily in debt. Yes, Egypt and even the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan have tried their best to deliver aid to Gaza, but with out a ceasefire this remains irrelevant. A cease fire between Hamas and the Zionist Israelis can only happen when the US agrees to stop supplying weapons to the Zionist regime. Simply holding meetings and talks will not be enough. This is why Egypt joined South Africa at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute the Israeli leadership for war crimes.
For now, El-Sisi will be going along a very complexed path. One he may not survive.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
