Abdel Bari Atwan

The Egyptian leadership and the Israeli occupation state are currently engaged in a violent verbal battle in the Arab region over the "conspiracy" of relocating the people of Gaza, which is one of the primary causes of the war of extermination, famine, and destruction in Gaza. All indicators indicate that Egypt, progressively reverting to its primary position as a confronting state, is not afraid to employ military force to win this conflict, stating that it would not be a collaborator in eliminating the Palestinian cause. It will continue to be the primary defence against the relocation of Palestinians, which it views as a critical issue. It has been clear that it has played a key role in obstructing this plan from the start, and it was the only one to challenge President Donald Trump, the project's architect.

So when Mr. Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt's State Information Service, publicly and strongly challenges Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel the gas agreement signed between the two countries in 2019, which extends until 2024, on the pretext of accusing Egypt of violating the Camp David Accords by deploying Egyptian forces and tanks in Sinai, near the Gaza border, this is a new Egyptian 'language' that reflects an unprecedented shift on all fronts. We don't rule out the possibility that it opens the door to not excluding the military option. Mr Rashwan made it known to the Israeli military establishment on Friday that Tel Aviv is only 100 km from Egypt and Eilat is only meters from Egyptian territory.

It was heartening for us and millions of other Arabs and Muslims to hear Mr Rashwan's challenge. He has become the official spokesperson for the leaders of the Egyptian army (since there is no Minister of Information in the Egyptian government), and he used a confrontational tone to demand that Netanyahu open all six crossings, allowing Palestinians to return to their lands that have been occupied since 1948 in the north and east. This means that the Palestinian people's land extends beyond the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the right of return for nearly ten million Palestinians in the homeland and diaspora is a guarantee that cannot be ignored or abandoned.

These Egyptian statements surprised and confused the Israeli authorities, particularly Netanyahu, who has not yet achieved any of his goals related to eliminating resistance or displacing two and a half million people from the Gaza Strip. This is despite the imminent completion of the second year of the honourable and miraculous "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation, which has uprooted the pillars of the Zionist project, destroyed the prestige of its military and intelligence states, and exposed vulnerabilities.

Ironically, Netanyahu accused Egypt's leadership and army yesterday of imprisoning Gazans by closing the Rafah crossing, claiming that this Egyptian stance contradicts the freedom of every person to choose their place of residence, which he regards as a fundamental human right at all times, particularly during times of war. He stated that he would open the Rafah crossing from the occupied "Gaza" side, but Egypt would instantly seal it from its end. Did the Palestinians choose to depart and dance in welcoming of the Riviera, which Trump and his son-in-law Kushner promised would be a utopia for real estate merchants and Jewish settlers?

Glory to God. Netanyahu, who utterly demolished the Gaza Strip, executed 64,000 people, injured nearly 150,000 others, destroyed 35 hospitals, and killed nearly 30,000 children, is now discussing human rights and the ability of everyone to choose where they live. This represents the pinnacle of audacity and deceit. He wants to reopen the Rafah crossing after 700 days of closure, displacing Palestinians, refusing to provide aid, and continuing the war of famine.

Suppose Netanyahu believes that freedom of movement is guaranteed. In that case, he should allow Gazans to return to their cities and villages in occupied northern Palestine, such as Jaffa, Haifa, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Safed, and the 400 villages and towns erased from the map and their inhabitants displaced during the 1948 aggression, including myself and my family.

Egypt is capable of fighting the Israeli adversary militarily, and its army, the strongest in the area, is capable of destroying and defeating the occupying state thanks to its valiant soldiers and honourable national military leadership. According to its military institution's doctrine, "Israel" remains Egypt's major opponent, as do the Arab and Islamic states. It must forget the blood and souls of the thousands of martyrs who died in the four wars; they fought to defend the nation's honour and dignity, as well as win the truth.

If the Afghan Taliban movement's weak military powers destroyed the great America and forced it to leave in humiliation, why shouldn't we expect Egypt and its army, the only one remaining, to achieve the same victory? Did it not break over the Bar Lev Line, defeat Israeli intelligence, and cross into Sinai in broad daylight during the October War of Ramadan in 1973? So, why do some people ignore this breach in favour of discussing Israeli violations, such as assassinating rebels in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran?

The occupying state is nearing its end, and the Egyptian army and its heroes may deliver the ultimate blow. We hope that the Arabs do not abandon this army in the same way that they abandoned Gaza and that some even worked with the occupation to provide it with means of existence. We hope for the expulsion and closure of Israeli embassies. In this journal, we are immersed in the trenches of Great Egypt's struggle against the occupation and its objectives, with the expulsion of Palestinians at the forefront. Just as we were in the trenches of Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Iran facing Israeli invasion, we are convinced that triumph is unavoidable and imminent... and the days are running out. The days are passing us by.