According to a report by Times of Israel, Israel's far-right Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu has stirred controversy by retweeting a social media post that calls for the occupation of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
The post promotes the sale of merchandise, including shirts, displaying a map of Israel that encompasses the West Bank, Gaza, and Sinai, along with the slogan "Occupation Now." The website linked in the post advocates for the expansion of Israeli control into Sinai, southern Lebanon, and potentially Jordan.
Eliyahu, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, has a history of using provocative language and making controversial remarks, including about the Gaza Strip. His latest retweet has sparked concerns and criticism, as it endorses the idea of reoccupying the Sinai Peninsula, which Israel returned to Egypt in 1979 as part of a historic peace treaty.
The Prime Minister's Office and representatives of the National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, have not commented on Eliyahu's post.
However, the Egyptian Foreign Minister has reaffirmed Cairo's commitment to the peace treaty with Israel earlier this year, despite ongoing tensions near the southern Gaza border shared with Egypt.
Eliyahu's advocacy for the resettlement of evacuated areas in Gaza has also gained traction among some right-wing factions, with calls for rebuilding Jewish settlements in the region. While Netanyahu has opposed the idea, a significant number of ministers and lawmakers have supported the initiative, signaling a growing divide within the Israeli political landscape.
The recent approval by the security cabinet to legalize West Bank outposts and advance plans for thousands of new settlement units has further fueled the debate and criticism, with some groups expressing opposition to the government's focus on expanding construction in the West Bank.