Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and restoration of the red lines

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The position announced by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi regarding the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia constitutes a remarkable development in the current crisis that extends beyond the borders of Yemen to constitute a crisis at the level of a region that has been living for decades on the embers of a series of Iranian coups. There is nothing strange about this situation; Egypt is a large Arab country that cannot resign from its role in defending national security and its direct interests. It is no exaggeration to say that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are the backbone of any strict Arab position aimed at preserving the rights of the Arab side in the region.

Egypt dealt with the Iranian push in the region with great wisdom and patience. It bet on diplomacy and the time factor, hoping that Tehran would stop its repeated attempts to encircle Arab decision-making centers and bring about changes in the balance of power within a number of maps and at the level of the entire region.

Years ago, I went to President Sisi and asked him about Egypt, its economy, and the conditions and security of the region. قالَ: «القوى التي تستهدف مصرَ تستهدف المنطقةَ أيضاً. They are the forces of evil that consist of extremist organizations or regional countries that seek to destabilize and overturn equations. قرارُنا حاسمٌ بالتصدي لهذه الاعتداءاتِ والمحاولات، وإرادتُنا صلبة. As Arab countries, we must unite in defense of our national security and stability against attempts to divide our country or plunge it into chaos and deplete its economy and opportunities for progress. I am completely confident that we, along with our brothers in the Gulf states and other Arab countries, can, if we unite our efforts, confront those who target our countries, our region, and our role.”

In his speech, Sisi stressed that the relationship with Saudi Arabia is “deep and strategic and is in the interest of both countries and Arab national security.” He added: “Honestly, I say that our brothers in Saudi Arabia are managing matters wisely and decisively, and that is why I tell them that we are always together.” Al-Sisi was decisive in saying that “the stability of the Kingdom is stability for Egypt and vice versa.”

It was noteworthy in the interview published by Asharq Al-Awsat that the Egyptian President was careful not to mention Iran by name, even though he meant it in his reference to the evil forces that are trying to destabilize and overturn equations. It seemed clear that Sisi wanted to keep the window for dialogue open to give diplomacy the broadest opportunities to rationalize Iranian behavior in the region, despite Tehran’s continued violation of “red lines” on Arab soil.

Saudi Arabia also dealt with Iranian intrusions in the region with long patience. I always tried to keep the window for diplomacy open before and after the Beijing Agreement. But Saudi Arabia adhered to the principles of its policy. It is respecting the “red lines” imposed by international law in dealings between countries, as well as the “red lines” drawn by the principle of good neighborliness for those who adhere to it in word and deed. In this context, the Egyptian and Saudi trends in supporting legitimacy generally coincided. Palestinian legitimacy, Lebanese legitimacy, Yemeni legitimacy, and encouraging Iraqi legitimacy to restore state institutions at home and restore Iraq’s role in the Arab family.

In the major turning points witnessed in recent turbulent decades, the Egyptian will converged with the Saudi will. The meeting took place when Saddam Hussein's forces invaded Kuwait, and when Egypt took to the streets, after the rule of the "Brotherhood" raised its fears about its identity, stability, and role. Saudi Arabia acted at the time based on its conviction that its security and stability were interconnected with the stability and security of Egypt. Egypt acted based on its conviction that destabilizing Saudi Arabia would cause catastrophic harm to Egypt, the Gulf, the Arab and Islamic worlds, as well as the global economy.

One of the conditions for coexistence in the region is respect for the red lines that countries are supposed to respect. Respecting international borders and dealing with governments, and respecting the right of each country to choose its policies and directions in accordance with applicable laws and customs. Encircling countries, penetrating their borders and security, and exhausting their ability to make their decisions and defend their sovereignty and interests contradict the conditions of coexistence.

It is clear that the policy of the Houthi “Ansar Allah” organization is based on violating all red lines at home and abroad. This method extends from undermining legitimacy inside Yemen and assassinating former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, to hostage of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and all the way to the barbaric bombing that targeted civilians at Riyadh airport. Iran, in turn, has committed continuous violations of red lines on the lands of others. Establishing militias, arming them, controlling their decision-making, and assigning them regional missions in the context of destabilization operations.

In the face of the major turmoil hitting the region, the Egyptian President’s position constitutes a stern warning message: Egypt is ready to engage in defensive missions that contribute to curbing the storm of destabilization. The meeting of the Egyptian and Saudi capabilities constitutes the basis for gathering an Arab, Islamic and international position that will help restore the red lines and curb attempts to overturn the equation at the regional level.

In the region there is a broader smell of war and dense fog. The absence of a dangerous player named Netanyahu, if it occurs, is not enough to conclude that Israel will be less aggressive. It is difficult to predict the results that Trump will draw from any potential electoral setback for his party in the midterm elections. In addition, Iran's escalatory behavior in Hormuz may accelerate hotter winds. Iran has not changed its language or its style.

The Arab official smiled for a long time when he heard from Abbas Araghchi that his country had made efforts with Saudi Arabia and the Houthis to stop the escalation, but the two sides did not respond, and he was keen to say that “the Houthis make their decision independently.” The “cute” phrase doubled the Arab official’s pessimism.

Quoted from "Al-Sharq Al-Awsat"