When it comes to Sinai, the talk is not about a piece of land that can be sold or negotiated, but rather about a part of Egypt’s history and national identity, a land whose sands had the blood of thousands of martyrs spilled in long battles in defense of sovereignty and national dignity.
Therefore, it was not surprising that the facts and testimonies that came to light raised concerns about some of the propositions that were associated with a period of rule The terrorist Brotherhood A widespread state of controversy, after it revealed ideas and projects that raised serious questions about the future of the Land of Turquoise, and the possibility of settling non-Egyptians there or opening the door to arrangements affecting its strategic nature.
As the years pass, this file remains one of the most dangerous files associated with the terrorist group’s year in power, placing Sinai at the heart of a battle between controversial political calculations and uncompromising national constants.
Mahmoud Abbas reveals the details of a show that sparked widespread controversy
One of the most prominent facts in this file is what Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas revealed during a meeting of the Palestinian National Council, when he talked about an offer he received during the period of Mohamed Morsi’s rule related to obtaining part of the Sinai lands for Palestinians to reside on within the framework of a project he called “a Palestinian state with temporary borders.”
Abbas explained that Muhammad Morsi offered him the allocation of a plot of land in Sinai for the Palestinian people, but he rejected the matter categorically, considering that such an offer represents the liquidation of the Palestinian cause, stressing that he directly informed Morsi of his rejection of this proposal.
These statements continue to document the Brotherhood’s attempt to cede the land of Sinai, the preservation and defense of which remained part of the national doctrine of the Egyptian state.
Sinai…a red line in the national security equation
Sinai was never just a geographical area that could be dealt with through the logic of deals or temporary political arrangements. Rather, it remained the eastern gateway to Egypt and the first line of defense for its national security.
This is why settling residents from outside the borders or making demographic changes within the peninsula is unacceptable, considering that the matter relates to a region of a special strategic nature, the price of which Egypt paid huge sacrifices to regain over many decades.
The privacy of Sinai and its geographical location have always made it a sovereign file whose management is subject to national security considerations before any other considerations.
Sisi’s decision thwarts the ownership plan in Sinai
Amid this atmosphere, Resolution No. 203 of 2012 issued by General Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, then Minister of Defense, placed strict restrictions on the ownership of land and real estate in the Sinai Peninsula.
The decision stipulated limiting the right to ownership to Egyptians only who held Egyptian nationality alone and whose parents were Egyptians. It also prohibited non-Egyptians from owning land and real estate within the peninsula, and set strict controls related to usufruct and disposal rights in areas of a strategic nature. This decision closed the door to any attempts that might lead to changing the nature of Sinai or opening the way for arrangements that affect its privacy and Egyptian identity.
The testimony of a former minister reveals what happened inside the government
It is noteworthy that Dr. Hani Mahmoud, the former Minister of Communications, later revealed important details related to that stage, stressing that the decision to prevent foreigners from owning Sinai lands faced objections from ministers affiliated with the Brotherhood within the government.
He explained that at the time, President Sisi insisted on issuing the decision as a necessity related to protecting Egyptian national security and preserving the strategic nature of the Sinai Peninsula, before it was finally approved within the Council of Ministers.
This testimony reveals part of the dispute that took place within state institutions about how to deal with one of the most dangerous sovereign files in the country.
The group’s dreams collided with state institutions
The Sinai file was not the only one that witnessed disagreements during the Brotherhood’s rule, but it was undoubtedly one of the most sensitive and dangerous files. While state institutions dealt with the peninsula as a part of Egyptian national security that should not be compromised or subjected to narrow political calculations, some of the proposals and proposals that came out during that period raised wide question marks about the future of the region.
But these ideas collided with decisive positions within state institutions, which adhered to national constants and rejected any steps that could affect the nature of Sinai or open the door to exceptional arrangements within it.
A scandal that reveals the mentality of dealing with sovereign files
The seriousness of this issue lies in the fact that it was not only linked to a passing political project or proposal, but rather touched on one of the most sensitive files in the Egyptian state. When it comes to Sinai, the issue goes beyond the boundaries of politics to the essence of national sovereignty and national security.
That is why the issue of settling Palestinians in Sinai and the associated conversations about ownership and disposal of lands remained one of the most controversial facts in the Brotherhood’s record during the year of its rule, as it was an issue that touched upon land that the Egyptians paid the price for recovering with their blood and the sacrifices of their sons.
