Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi responded yesterday (Wednesday) at a conference marking 53 years since the Yom Kippur War to comments by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who declared that “if Egypt attacks us, there will be no Sinai,” claiming his country has no intention of starting a war with Israel.
ردا على تصريحات سموتريتش التي قال فيها: “إذا هاجمتنا مصر فلن تكون هناك سيناء”.. السيسي: ومين قالك إن إحنا عايزين نحارب.. مصر استعادت كامل أراضيها ولا تحمل أي مطامع تجاه إسرائيل.. دعك من هواجس الستين عاما الماضية https://t.co/oFqUTS4Y6x
— العربية (@AlArabiya) October 14, 2026
“Who told you we want to fight? We have no ambitions toward anyone. Our land is in our hands, we fought to get it back, and that’s over,” el-Sisi said, attempting to dismiss Israeli concerns about Egypt’s intentions.
The Egyptian president claimed Cairo has no secret plans or territorial ambitions toward Israel, adding: “Are you still holding onto the fears of the last 60 years? Do you still think I have ambitions toward something you have? No. I have only one ambition: to protect my country, its borders, and its land.”
But Israel has already learned the hard way what the price can be of relying on declarations and stated intentions from its neighbors. El-Sisi’s words are not an insurance policy, and the country’s security cannot rest on promises from Cairo.