Key Takeaways:
– The Biden administration sends full $1.3 billion military aid to Egypt.
– Secretary of State Antony Blinken waives restrictions on $225 million over Cairo’s role as a mediator in the Israel-Hamas war.
– Human rights concerns persist over allegations against Egypt’s government.
The United States is extending its full $1.3 billion military assistance to Egypt, bypassing some conditions set forth by Congress due to ongoing apprehensions over human rights issues. Instead, Egypt’s pivotal function as an intermediary in the Israel-Hamas conflict has been emphasized.
Waiving Congressional Conditions
Drawing on his authority, Secretary of State Antony Blinken waived the preconditions on $225 million of the total aid package. Blinken underlined the indispensability of this decision for the stability of the Middle East, coupling it with Egypt’s instrumental role in advancing several US national security priorities. These include brokering a ceasefire deal in Gaza, acceleration of emergency aid for Palestinians and handling potential hostage situations.
According to the State Department, Egypt has made significant strides in discharging political detainees and preventing American citizens from facing harassment. These efforts fulfilled prerequisites for an additional $95 million in assistance.
Continuing Dialogue on Human Rights
While acknowledging Egypt’s improved stance, the US is maintaining a rigorous dialogue with Cairo on the necessity of tangible human rights advancements – a critical factor in maintaining a robust US-Egypt partnership, as stated by the State Department. Despite these discussions, allegations of human rights abuses by President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s administration linger.
Human Rights Allegations
The State Department and numerous human rights groups allege that Egypt’s government has committed arbitrary killings and detentions, systemic repression of civil society, curtailing of free press, and stifling free expression. Furthermore, there are several creditable reports of torture.
As a result of these allegations, the US held back $85 million from the Egyptian government in the previous year and $130 million in 2022. Human Rights Watch reports that while the El-Sissi administration has released hundreds of detainees, many have been rearrested, with thousands of journalists, activists, and others still imprisoned.
Political Backlash
Despite the State Department’s defense of the aid decision, some Democratic senators have criticized the move. Chris Coons of Delaware and Christopher S. Murphy of Connecticut have publicly lamented the release of the millions of dollars in light of perceived lack of progress by Egypt.
“Over the last year, for every single political prisoner Egypt has released, it has jailed two more,” they said in a statement. They described the situation as “one step forward and two steps back.”
Murphy, who also chairs the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee overseeing the Middle East, noted that the US has traditionally preserved strategic ties with Egypt while withholding funds due to human rights concerns. He questioned the change in strategy particularly since “Egypt remains a deeply repressive autocratic state.”
In response, the State Department highlighted actions taken by Egypt, such as the release of over 950 political prisoners since September 2023 and proposed reforms of pretrial detention. However, they stressed to Egyptian officials that “more action is needed.”
Responding to these concerns, El-Sissi denied the presence of political prisoners in his country and defended the government’s actions as necessary to combat terrorism.