Earlier this year, the Egyptian government warned that if Israeli forces occupied a roughly eight-mile-long border strip between Egypt and Gaza — known in Israel as the Philadelphi Corridor — it would pose a “serious threat” to ties between the two countries. Yet so far there has been little Egyptian response to Israel’s announcement on Wednesday that it had taken “tactical control” of the zone.
Israel and Egypt — former enemies that fought at least three major wars — have clashed diplomatically over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, and particularly over Israel’s ground offensive in Rafah. The Egyptian government faced public pressure to take a tougher stance against Israel after Israeli troops entered Rafah, which borders Egypt and is packed with Gazans fleeing the fighting elsewhere.
But the Egyptian and Israeli authorities have long coordinated closely on security matters, with military officials regularly meeting in Cairo and Tel Aviv, and both sides view that close-knit relationship as a cornerstone of their national security policies, former Israeli and Egyptian officials say.
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