Othman told the independent Palestinian news agency Ma’an that the “escalating rhetoric of the Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Ehud Barak, about lawlessness, lack of control in Sinai by the security forces suggests of an Israeli plot to recapture the peninsula.”
Under the 1979 peace treaty, Israel returned Sinai to Egypt. In return, Egypt agreed to leave the area demilitarized.
He added that the Israeli leadership “is attempting to give the impression to the outside world that Egypt’s post-revolution government is unable to control its border with Israel in order to mount international pressure that will provide Israel with the necessary pretext to occupy the area.”
The official said that there was a campaign under way by the Egyptian government to improve security in Sinai, particularly on the border with Gaza Strip.
According to the ambassador, the general situation in the region has affected Sinai as well.
In early August, a terror attack emanating from the peninsula left eight Israelis killed and wounded dozens more. The Israeli army has been on high alert along the Egyptian border in the aftermath of the attacks and has significantly beefed up forces and surveillance equipment there.
