Cairo ‘not serious’ about joining Mecca pact, offer to help Saudis is symbolic, expert tells ‘Post’
Jonathan Hessen, a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, said that while such regional alliances could happen in the future, Egypt is now preoccupied with other issues.
Cairo is not genuinely interested in joining the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, according to Jonathan Hessen, a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. Egypt's Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, had previously stated that Egypt is considering joining the pact and willing to provide support to Saudi Arabia in its ongoing war against the Houthis.
However, Hessen believes that the offer is symbolic and unlikely to be called upon. Each member of the Mecca pact focuses on combating a specific power, such as the Houthis for Saudi Arabia, India and Iran for Pakistan, and Israel for Turkey. Egypt's Article 6 of the peace treaty with Israel requires it to fulfill the peace terms unconditionally, which may limit its ability to sign other international agreements that contradict or undermine the treaty.
Hessen stated that Egypt is currently preoccupied with other challenges, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, tribal tensions, and disagreements with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. This, combined with conflict-rife Sudan sharing a border with Egypt, leaves little room for Cairo to focus on supporting Riyadh. Despite this, Hessen acknowledged that it is in Egypt's interest to ensure the Bab al-Mandeb Strait remains open, as it could impact the Suez Canal, which has been experiencing reduced shipping following Houthi belligerence.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
