Updated on
Summary Israel says Egypt violating peace treaty in Sinai.
Israel objected Tuesday to a move by Egypts new leaders to deploy tanks in a volatile border area, calling the action a violation of the landmark 1979 peace accord between the two nations.The spat is the biggest test yet of the peace agreement a cornerstone of regional stability since Egypts Islamist president took power in June, and plays into Israeli fears that the treaty could be threatened down the road.Egypt has been building up its military presence in the lawless Sinai desert since Islamic militants there attacked an army post on Aug. 5 and killed 16 soldiers.Israel, itself a frequent target of Islamic extremists based in Sinai, has welcomed the crackdown. But officials say significant military moves by Egypt must be coordinated, giving Israel a veto of sorts over Egyptian security strategy.Under the peace accord, Egypt is allowed to have only lightly armed policemen in the zone along the border with Israel. Limited numbers of tanks are permitted only in a zone on the far western side of the peninsula, within 30 miles (50 kilometers) of the Suez Canal.Israel agreed last year to exceptions to the treaty, allowing Egypts military to deploy troops with heavier weaponry into the most sensitive zone of eastern Sinai close to the Israeli border. Israel made similar exceptions during its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.Egyptian troops moved into the eastern Sinai after the Aug. 5 attack, backed by armored personnel carriers and attack helicopters, in coordination with the Israelis.But Israeli officials said Tuesday that Egypts deployment in recent days of heavier U.S.-made M60 tanks went further than agreed and violated the accord.While the tanks are not aimed at Israel and it does not consider them to be a strategic threat, Israeli officials said they were concerned about the precedent and that the move should have been coordinated.The officials said they have relayed their objections to the Egyptians directly and through American mediators. The Maariv daily reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded the tanks be withdrawn, though officials could not confirm the report. Netanyahus office declined comment.U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland backed Egypts counterterrorism efforts in the Sinai, but said any deployments of military assets should respect treaty obligations and be coordinated with Israel.As the Egyptians work hard now to defeat terror and turn back other security threats in the Sinai, weve been supportive of those efforts, she told reporters in Washington. We have encouraged them in those efforts, not only to enhance security in Egypt, but also to enhance security for neighbors, security in the region.
