Egyptian Outrage Erupts Over Israeli Minister's Sinai Comments

Comments made by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, suggesting that if Egypt were to attack Israel, "there would be no Sinai at the very least," have sparked furious reactions from Egyptian media figures and parliament members close to the Egyptian government. While an official government response has not yet been issued, Egyptian broadcaster Ahmed Moussa attacked Smotrich on his program, warning that "if you act recklessly, Israel will not remain, the matter is over, there will be no Zionist entity left." Moussa emphasized that Sinai is a "red line" and that what happened in 1967 would not be repeated, adding that the price of war is known and Egypt has paid it before.

Simultaneously, Egyptian parliament member and media figure Mostafa Bakri took to X (formerly Twitter) to harshly criticize Smotrich, calling him an "extreme Zionist" who "threatens Egypt with taking over Sinai." Bakri dismissed Smotrich as a "thug" who believes Egypt is a lawless territory and asserted that the Egyptian army is prepared to defeat anyone who harms Egypt's national security. He also referenced Egypt's past military successes against Israel.

These statements come as Egypt is commemorating the 53rd anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, which is viewed locally as the "October Victory." Domestically, Smotrich recently revealed a disagreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the future of the Gaza Strip. Smotrich advocated for conquering all of Gaza, encouraging emigration, and establishing settlements, arguing that ending the war without significant changes on the ground would embolden enemies.