WSJ: Egypt weighing downgrading diplomatic ties with Israel

Egyptian officials reportedly tell the Wall Street Journal that Cairo is considering downgrading but not cutting its diplomatic relations with Israel amid sharpening divisions over the Gaza war.

According to the report, officials say that pulling Egypt’s ambassador from Tel Aviv is a move being weighed.

“As we stand, there are no plans to suspend ties or throw away Camp David,” another Egyptian official tells the newspaper, referring to the US-backed accords that led to the countries’ 1979 peace treaty. “But as long as Israeli forces remain at Rafah Crossing, Egypt will not send a single truck to Rafah.”

On Sunday, Egypt said it would support South Africa’s ongoing lawsuit in the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, a day after it said it would refuse to coordinate aid entering Gaza through Rafah as long as IDF troops remained there.