CAIRO -

On two consecutive times within days, the President of the Library of Alexandria, Mostafa El-Feki, a prominent Egyptian diplomat, summoned Israel in the file of the Renaissance Dam, stressing that it had an impact on the file;

Because it dreams to be one of the countries downstream of the Nile River, he said.

Al-Fiqi's statements - the information secretary and former official during the era of the late President Hosni Mubarak - came after Cairo narrowed its way to obtaining international support and support, especially from the major powers, led by the United States and Russia, which shocked the Egyptians after the UN Security Council session in July. / July, which did not result in a decision on the crisis.

The Council returned the issue to the African Union again, which is a blow to the efforts of Egypt and Sudan, which had hoped to commit Ethiopia to a tripartite agreement on the sharing of the dam's waters.

In statements to Al-Jazeera Net, two political analysts agreed that al-Fiqi's statements do not represent the position of the Egyptian leadership, warning against enabling Tel Aviv to obtain a tool of pressure on Egypt, and at a greater stage obtaining a share of the Nile water, as it had dreamed since the establishment of Israel.

The Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv had previously recommended Israeli decision makers to take advantage of the water crisis and the Renaissance Dam, to expand normalization with Cairo.

call Israel

A few days ago, El-Fiqi said that "if Israel is convinced of the need to support Egypt in the dam issue, the American and Russian position will change," calling on his country to "rely on non-traditional solutions and contacts with countries that have real influence."

While the former Egyptian diplomat stressed that "foreign policy does not know ideals";

He pointed out that Israel has dreamed of being one of the downstream countries of the Nile, since the era of the late President Mohamed Anwar Sadat, adding that "it is still able to influence Addis Ababa to change the situation, unless there are secret agreements for the Nile waters to reach Israel through other than Egypt." .

The Egyptian authorities did not issue any comment on El-Feki’s words, although he was repeated for the second time within a week. Two days before the Security Council session, El-Feki called on his country to mobilize all its forces and papers that were not used to pressure Ethiopia, including talking with Israel.

Al-Fiqi previously linked Israel with the construction of the dam. In October 2019, he said that Israeli missile batteries surround the walls of the dam to protect it.

The Embassy of Israel in Egypt expresses its utmost respect to the Egyptian people and their wise leadership led by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. It affirms in a clear and unequivocal way that what was recently reported in some channels and press articles about the involvement of the State of Israel in the issue of the Renaissance Dam is baseless and untrue. #Israel #Egypt pic.twitter.com/HSNdlJIOQe

— The Israeli Embassy (@IsraelinEgypt) July 18, 2021

In turn, the Israeli embassy in Egypt denied - last Sunday - Tel Aviv's involvement in the dam crisis, noting that "it has enough to meet its needs."

The embassy was keen to say that Israel "relies on agricultural treatment methods and desalination of sea water for drinking, and it has the technology that provides it with water," stressing that its country "is always ready to put its expertise and expand joint cooperation in the field of water technology with Egypt."

In late 2019, media reports were published about the existence of Israeli defense systems to protect the Renaissance Dam, while the Israeli embassy in Cairo responded, saying that they were "rumours", stressing that Tel Aviv was at the same distance from the two countries.

In the same context, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported a few days ago that Tel Aviv had previously refused to mediate in the dam file, although the troubles that are happening in southern Israel (in reference to Egypt) may lead to comfort.

And the Israeli writer Jackie Khogy said - in an article in the newspaper last Sunday - that "the Egyptians asked Israel about two years ago if it wanted to mediate in this case, and the question was discussed seriously, and it was decided to politely reject the proposal," which was not possible to obtain immediate comment from the authorities. Egyptian about it.

refusal and warning

Al-Fiqi's statements about the Israeli role in the dam file were unanimously rejected by supporters and opponents of the authorities.

Journalist Abdullah Al-Sanawi warned of international conspiracy of various degrees and for different reasons against Egypt, warning that Israel is seeking to fill the Egyptian vacuum in the continent of Africa, in recent decades.

Parliamentarian Mustafa Bakri (a journalist close to the authority) also considered that the crisis of the Renaissance Dam is political and that the goal behind the Ethiopian project is to deliver the waters of the Nile River to Israel.

In turn, former parliamentarian Ahmed Tantawi (opposition) warned against promoting the absence of a problem in delivering the Nile to Israel, as long as this guarantees the arrival of Egypt's share of the water, considering this "a major lie propagated by some and believed by many."

good chance

Al-Fiqi's call - if the Egyptian administration responds - represents an opportunity for Tel Aviv, which wants to increase the area of ​​normalization with Cairo, which, since the signing of the peace treaty in 1979, has not gone beyond diplomatic relations and security coordination, without making a breakthrough in the wall of popular rejection.

In August 2018, a study issued by the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies recommended exploiting the water crisis in Egypt, noting that Egypt's openness to foreign aid in dealing with the water problem, and that the pragmatic line led by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi creates an opportunity to extend normalization.

On the Israeli capabilities that Egypt can benefit from, the institute explained that Tel Aviv is capable of providing recycling, water desalination, and agricultural technologies, as happened in strengthening Israeli-Jordanian relations in this regard.

The study monitored a set of Israeli interests that could be achieved within the framework of exploiting the opportunity to support Egypt in the field of water, including enhancing Egyptian recognition of the benefits of peace, expanding the scope of bilateral relations at the governmental and civil levels, and preventing water poverty that threatens the future stability of Egypt and the region.

The institute also touched on former President Anwar Sadat's promotion of the idea of ​​a project to flow the Nile waters from Egypt to Israel, noting that the current circumstances give the two countries an opportunity to revive this vision.

Historical narratives

As for the Israeli role in the Nile waters, the Egyptian popular and media narratives link it to two positions. The first is a conspiracy and push the Upper Nile countries such as Ethiopia to implement water projects to threaten and besiege Egypt, with reference to Israel’s contribution to the financing and construction of these dams.

Adding to the fears of Israeli interference in the dam crisis, experts from Tel Aviv called - in a virtual seminar organized by the latter in late 2020 with the participation of African experts and officials - the Egyptians to "accept the new reality regarding the dam, and to modify their view of the Nile River in general."

As for the second position, it is represented in denying the existence of a role for Israel in the issue of dam projects and water storage in upstream countries, in contrast to the role and economic and commercial influence.

What reinforces the second position is the assertion by the Egyptian Minister of Irrigation, Mohamed Abdel-Aty - late last June - that he does not possess any documents or facts on Ethiopia's sale of water to Israel.

However, the Israeli role in the Nile Basin may not be limited to carrying out water projects only, as Israel's ambitions in the waters of the Nile go back to the ideas of the founder of the Zionist project, "Theodore Herzl."

In 1903, Herzl presented to the British government (during the British occupation of Egypt and Sudan) the idea of ​​diverting part of the Nile water to the Negev desert, and he sought to market his idea by building a canal that delivers the Nile's water to "Israel" through siphons in the Suez Canal.

In the 1990s, Tel Aviv sided with countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, when it demanded water pricing and a review of existing agreements regarding the use of Nile waters.

On the other hand, the Ethiopian side sees Israel as a technologically advanced state that may help it achieve its national interest, development and national security.

pressure tool

On summoning Israel to resolve the crisis, and whether this represents the position of the Egyptian leadership or are they automatic statements, academic and political analyst Khairy Omar expressed his belief that Al-Fiqi expresses himself and is trying to draw attention.

In statements to Al-Jazeera Net, Omar considered that al-Fiqi's statements come in an dishonest context, to reduce the level of dealing in the dam crisis, warning that the talk represents a valuable opportunity for Israel, which is looking for fruits to reap from the crisis, and in line with its goals.

He pointed out that it is possible that Israel is looking for an opportunity to expand normalization or exploit the file as a tool of pressure on Cairo, or at a greater stage, to obtain a share of the Nile waters in the context of historical Israeli desires.

He also stressed that the Israeli intervention in the dam file - if it occurs - will not contribute to resolving the crisis, adding that Israel's intervention will lead to further aggravation, and it is not a strong country as it is rumored and does not serve as a mediator for many considerations, including that it is still a factor in regional tension. .

In turn, Ibrahim Nawar, a researcher specializing in international disputes and economic relations, agreed with the previous proposition, expressing his belief that Al-Fiqi's hadith represents him and not the position of the Egyptian leadership.

Nawar sarcastically said, "After Israel was the cause of every problem we face, it has become with Qader's ability to be the solution to every intractable problem."

He believed that the Nile water crisis, in essence, was a test of the strength of political will, and represented a conflict of will, pointing out that if Israel or any country intervened, this would be to achieve its interests and not to blacken the eyes of others.

Nawar also warned against Israeli efforts to obtain an opportunity to pressure Egypt through the dam file, to achieve in the end its historical desire to become a country downstream of the Nile River, adding that Israel does not need Egypt to obtain what it wants from Ethiopia or any other African country, and therefore We have to think and ask what is the price we will offer to Tel Aviv for its support in the dam file?