Egypt, Jordan reject Israel’s claim of weapon smuggling from Egypt into Gaza

CAIRO/AMMAN, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) — Egypt rejected on Tuesday Israel’s claim that its territories were used to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip.
“Egypt completely rejects the statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, through which he tried to drag Egypt’s name into the conflict to distract the Israeli public’s attention,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Netanyahu’s claim aimed to justify his government’s aggressive and provocative policies, obstruct reaching a Gaza ceasefire deal and the exchange of hostages and detainees, and hinder the mediation efforts made by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, it said.
Egypt held the Israeli government responsible for the consequences of making such a claim that could further aggravate the regional situation, the statement noted.
The ministry added that Egypt will continue playing its role in leading the peace process in the region.
Also on Tuesday, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry denounced Netanyahu’s claim as a baseless allegation aimed at undermining mediation efforts on the Gaza ceasefire deal.
Jordan stands in solidarity with Egypt in confronting Israel’s claim and supports Egypt’s position in this matter, the ministry said in a statement.
It added that all claims by Israeli officials were “useless attempts” to justify the “Israeli aggression on Gaza and West Bank,” which have further escalated the already intense situation in the region.
On Monday, Netanyahu said at a news conference that Israeli forces are “not going to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor,” reiterating that keeping the corridor under control is critical for preventing future weapons smuggling from Egypt to Gaza.
The Israeli army took control of the corridor, a 100-meter wide and 14-km-long buffer zone along the Egypt-Gaza border, and the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in May, leading to a suspension of the entry of aid trucks from Egypt into Gaza.
During several rounds of ceasefire talks, Egypt has repeatedly emphasized its demand that the Israeli army completely withdraw from the corridor and the Rafah crossing. ■