Former MK Idan Roll Warns Egypt Peace Treaty Is Just Paper, Urges Caution

Former Knesset member Idan Roll issued a stark warning about Israel's relationship with Egypt, emphasizing that the peace treaty between the two countries does not guarantee Egypt will not wage war against Israel in the future. Writing on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Roll stated that the peace agreement is only effective as long as Egypt has no incentive to break it, describing it as "just paper" whose power depends on Israeli deterrence and Egyptian interests. He warned that if Egypt ever decides it is beneficial to attack Israel, no signed document will prevent such action.

Roll clarified that he is not advocating for Israel to open a new front against Egypt but stressed that Israel should not consider Egypt a managed front or an ally. He criticized the discourse that frames the threat as a choice between Egypt and Qatar's involvement in Gaza, noting that both countries pose challenges to Israel. According to Roll, viewing relations with Egypt solely through the lens of the peace treaty is flawed and dangerous, as the treaty reflects a regional reality from decades ago, while Middle Eastern conditions have changed significantly since then.

He also accused Egypt of repeatedly violating the peace agreement since October 7 and highlighted the strengthening of the Egyptian military. Roll pointed to Egypt's failure or unwillingness to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza, arguing that the events of October 7 demonstrated this inability. He concluded that if Egypt cannot be trusted to stop weapons trafficking into Gaza, it should not be allowed to manage the Gaza Strip.