French envoy warns: Israel’s security ties with Jordan and Egypt at risk

Israel’s ties with Egypt and Jordan, long considered the cornerstones of its regional security and diplomatic architecture, are at risk if the Gaza war spirals, French Ambassador Frederic Journes told The Jerusalem Post this week.

“Escalation [of the war] is putting at risk Israel’s relationship with the region as a whole, the peace Israel already built a long time ago with its two direct Arab neighbors and the normalization it was creating with its broader [region], which we believe should be back on track at some point,” he said.

Among the issues of concern has been the potential for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to be displaced as a result of the violence, Journes said.

Balancing the ties with Jordan and Egypt

Egypt and Jordan “do not want any involvement in that” and view such a step as “unacceptable,” Journes explained, adding that it would be seen as a “radical shift in their security balance with Israel.” READ MORE