Egypt will maintain its peace treaty with Israel, military says

[azurnoir]

Egypt's ruling military reassured its international allies Saturday that there would be no break in its peace deal with Israel following the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, and it lay out the first tentative steps to keep Egypt's economy and state functioning while it figures out how to overhaul the country for greater democracy.

The military statement, aired on state TV, was its first, cautious attempt to define the next steps after Mubarak handed over power to a council of his top generals and resigned on Friday in the face of an 18-day wave of popular protests.

<snip>


The military also called on the current government and provincial governors to continue their activities until a new government is formed, el-Fangari said.

The military is "looking forward to a peaceful transition, for a free democratic system, to permit an elected civil authority to be in charge of the country, to build a democratic free nation," he said.

The statement left unanswered the key question of how long the current government would stay in place: Whether it would continue on a longer term until a new one is elected, or whether the military intended it only as a stop-gap to keep the state functioning until it appoints a transitional leadership.


http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/egypt-will-maintain-its-peace-treaty-with-israel-military-says-1.342918

[xchrom]

1. Awesome. nt

[oberliner]

2. The military did not say that

This headline is not accurate.

No statement from the military mentioned Israel at all.

I would be curious to know what the reaction would be if this headline was actually true and a statement like that was really made.

[azurnoir]

3. Then exactly what did the Egyptian Military say as you claim to know what they did not n/t

[oberliner]

4. The quote is in the article (although you "snipped" it out of your post)

Unless they made another statement that the article did not include for some reason.

[azurnoir]

5. aha....... you mean this part?

A spokesman for the Armed Forces Supreme Council underlined the military's "commitment to all Egypt's international treaties."

Israel has been deeply concerned that Egypt's turmoil could threaten the 1979 peace accord signed between the two countries. The United States, Egypt's top ally, is also eager to ensure the accord remains in place. The military strongly supports the accord, not in small part because it guarantees U.S. aid for the armed forces, currently running at $1.3 billion a year.

Anti-Israeli feeling is strong in Egypt, and many of the hundreds of thousands of protesters expressed anger at Mubarak's close cooperation with Israel on a range of issues. Still, few seriously call for the abrogation of the treaty, realizing the international impact.

[oberliner]

6. Exactly

One thing that is clear about the actual statement from the spokesman for the Armed Forces Supreme Council is that it wasn't "Egypt will maintain its peace treaty with Israel".

I doubt you will see any such statement - specifically naming Israel - coming out of Supreme Council anytime soon.

[azurnoir]

7. nope it said that Egypt would maintain it's 'international treaties'

and Israel is one of Egypt's international treaties is it not?

[oberliner]

10. But did not mention Israel by name

Contrast that with the Israeli statement:

"The longstanding peace treaty between Israel and Egypt has greatly contributed to both countries and is the cornerstone for peace and stability in the entire Middle East."

[azurnoir]

13. I was listening to NPR a short while ago where they were interviewing an Egyptian Military offcial

I did not catch his name, the interviewer specifically asked him about Israel citing the military quote, his reply was that of course it meant Israel too, why would it not? The interviewer pressed him further saying that Israel was not much liked by the Egyptian people and the reply was that true enough the Egyptians do not like Israel, however they also recognize the value of peace and it was one of great failings of Mubarak's regime that peace between Israel and Egypt was not more "capitalized" (his word) on to further Egypt's economic and social development and that future political leaders would not make that mistake

[oberliner]

15. That is interesting

I would have liked to have heard that interview.

Do you know if it can be found online? Any other details that can help me track it down?

[azurnoir]

16. well the interview was at around 3 20 CST

I was in my vehicle at the time got in seconds into the interview, they covered the current conditions and feelings in Egypt the part about Israel started just as I was pulling into my driveway I stayed in the car to listen to that, I did look for a transcript but did not find one

[Dick Dastardly]

17. It actually said "all" international treaties not some of them. As AZ correctly said since Israel

is one of them, it includes them.

[oberliner]

18. That is true

My point, however, is that they did not actually mention Israel but rather made a more general statement with respect to observing international treaties.

Why not come out and literally actually say the words "We will honor our treaty with Israel" or why not make a statement like the Israeli one saying that "The longstanding peace treaty between Israel and Egypt has greatly contributed to both countries and is the cornerstone for peace and stability in the entire Middle East"?

[Violet_Crumble]

19. Of course it's true. The Egyptian military was referring to Israel...

The only folk who should be confused over this would be those who are under the false belief that there's no peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. Egypt said it will be honouring all it's treaties. If what had been said was that Egypt would only honour some of its treaties, then there'd be a need to refer to individual treaties. I'm not sure why there's a need to list countries (or are you expecting special treatment for Israel?) when it's all treaties, and not some...

[oberliner]

21. Then they should have no problem actually naming Israel

As Israel is the only country that Egypt has signed a peace treaty with in the last seventy years - that would be a pretty rational reason to refer to them specifically.

Especially in light of some members of the leadership of one of the more prominent previously-banned political parties in Egypt making statements suggesting that the treaty may ought to be rescinded.

Muslim Brotherhood Leader: Dissolve the Israel Peace Treaty

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/muslim-brotherhood-leader-dissolve-the-israel-peace-treaty/70761/

Could the current interim leadership of Egypt possible make a statement similar to this one made by Israel?

"The longstanding peace treaty between Israel and Egypt has greatly contributed to both countries and is the cornerstone for peace and stability in the entire Middle East"

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-egypt-israel-peace-is-cornerstone-of-mideast-stability-1.342947

I doubt it.

[Violet_Crumble]

22. Israel is NOT the only country that Egypt has international treaties with...

Seeing as how Egypt referred to a committment to all international treaties, and didn't say anything about the only ones they were talking about were international peace treaties, I'm not sure why you think they should single out Israel above all other countries. And the statement you keep on quoting from Israel was in response to the statement made by Egypt, so even the Israeli govt understood that respecting all international treaties means respecting the peace treaty with Israel, as it's one of many international treaties that Egypt has. Egypt has said it will respect it's international treaties, including the one with Israel, and I don't see why that should be something to complain about....

Here's a link to the other thread where I've gone over what Egypt actually said, and gave you examples of just a few international treaties Egypt has...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=343422&mesg_id=343548

[oberliner]

25. A peace treaty is an agreement between two hostile parties

A peace treaty is an agreement between two hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends an armed conflict.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_treaty

The only peace treaty Egypt has signed in the last seventy years has been with Israel.

[Violet_Crumble]

30. The Egyptian statement referred to all international treaties...

It did not refer to just peace treaties, but that's already been pointed out to you several times in several threads. The Egyptian statement referred to all international treaties, of which a peace treaty is just one of many different types of international treaties, quite a few of which have been mentioned to you by several posters in this forum. Are you trying to claim that the Egyptian statement referred to only international peace treaties, or that peace treaties are the only form of international treaty?

[azurnoir]

23. Egypt was also one o the original signers of the NPT

they did not mention that one either

[oberliner]

24. It is not a peace treaty

A peace treaty is an agreement between two hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends an armed conflict.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_treaty

[azurnoir]

26. the quote did not specifically say peace treaties it said international treaties

honestly do you believe that Egypt at this point in time is going to break the treaty with Israel?

if yes explain, if no then what are you 'tripping' about? Or will you claim it is not clear what they will do or it's unknown, it seems clear enough to most others that Egypt will keep the treaty with Israel

[oberliner]

27. "Egypt will maintain its peace treaty with Israel, military says"

That quote said peace treaty.

In response to your question, no, I do not believe that Egypt at this point in time is going to break the treaty with Israel.

What I am "tripping" about is the fact that the statement coming out of Egypt is pretty tepid - especially compared to the expression made from Israel - with respect to Camp David.

Does this say something about what may come in the future? Who knows? But it is worth thinking about.

[azurnoir]

8. BTW due entirely to your challange I have now posted more than 5 paragraphs

possibly a 'technical' foul of the rules

[oberliner]

11. No challenge - just an explanation of why I only included four

You were the one who challenged my claim of four paragraphs being in the rules - and you were incorrect.

[azurnoir]

9. also note that I have alerted the moderators and asked them to remove any rule breaking paragraghs

just in case I was challenged into or mistakenly posted too much.

[oberliner]

12. Hardly seems worth an alert

Don't think there is a need to waste any moderators time with any of this.

[azurnoir]

14. eh ya never know n/t

[Violet_Crumble]

20. Israel welcomes peace pledge

Western leaders hailed the toppling of Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak as a historic step toward democracy, and Israel welcomed assurances that its peace agreement with Egypt would be honoured.

Messages of congratulation to the Egyptian people flooded in after Mubarak handed over power to senior army officers following 18 days of mounting protests against his autocratic 30-year rule.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed assurances from Egypt's military that Cairo would respect its 1979 peace treaty with the Jewish state, in a statement on Saturday from his office.

It said Netanyahu "welcomes the statement of the Egyptian military that Egypt will continue to honour the peace treaty with Israel."

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/israel-welcomes-peace-pledge-20110213-1arnk.html

[UndertheOcean]

28. what will happen with the border with Gaza ?

[shira]

29. Egyptian liberal/secular Presidential hopeful says peace treaty with Israel over

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/egypt-presidential-hopeful-peace-treaty-with-israel-is-over-1.343341

A leader of Egypt's secular opposition declared Sunday that the country's 30-year peace treaty with Israel was "over", despite assurances by the new military rulers that it would honor the accord in the wake of President Hosni Mubarak's resignation.

"The Camp David accord is over," Dr. Ayman Nur, leader of the Tomorrow Party who is planning to seek candidacy in the Egyptian presidential elections, told Egyptian radio. His remarks were carried by Israel's Channel 2.

"Egypt must at least renegotiate the terms of the accord," said Nur, who spent years incarcerated in Egyptian prison and was released with the help of U.S. intervention.

Nur is not a member of the radical Muslim Brotherhood, but rather a secular liberal. His remarks contradicted the military's statement on Saturday reassuring its international allies that there would be no break in its peace deal with Israel