Khaberni - Egyptian military expert Major General Samir Faraj revealed that Egypt is the only country that has successfully regained all its occupied territories completely, compared to the Syrian Golan and the West Bank, which were annexed by Israel.
Major General Faraj affirmed that Egypt regained its territories "without subtracting a single inch," indicating that the value of celebrating Sinai Liberation Day lies in the great work carried out by the army, the people, and the police under the leadership of the three presidents: Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar Sadat, and Hosni Mubarak.
The Egyptian military expert, in statements to a local channel, emphasized that Egypt has become the only country where not an inch of its land is under occupation, thanks to the presence of a strong army that protects it. He explained that historically, Sinai was the "open gateway" through which all attacks against Egypt were conducted, from the Hyksos and Ottomans era, through the wars of 1956 and 1967, and ending with the war against terrorism that lasted about 6 years.
Major General Samir Faraj pointed out that since President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's presidency began, his vision has focused on securing this gateway through two parallel paths: cleansing from terrorism and then comprehensive development and reconstruction, with planting "humans" in Sinai to reinforce Egyptian presence.
Sinai Liberation Day, which Egypt celebrates on April 25th every year, marks the anniversary of the withdrawal of the last Israeli soldier from Sinai in 1982, following the October 1973 war and the Camp David Accords. Sinai is considered a strategic vital area for Egypt due to its geographical location as an eastern gateway and its richness in natural resources.
Over the past decade, the state has focused on the comprehensive development project of Sinai, which included cleansing the area from terrorism, then establishing a huge infrastructure including tunnels, roads, ports, and agricultural and educational projects.
The Egyptian military expert praised the construction boom witnessed in Sinai over the past years, pointing out the creation of a giant network of tunnels that connects the east of the Canal to its west, where the total number of tunnels has reached six, allowing crossing in just minutes, which previously took hours.
He also mentioned the work on transforming El Arish into one of the largest container ports in the Mediterranean, in parallel with the establishment of a new airport and a railway line connecting Taba to El Arish and other parts of Egypt.
He added that the state has succeeded in planting half a million feddans, and establishing three new universities in East Port Said, Ismailia, and South Sinai, in addition to a project to settle the Sinai residents through the construction of residential complexes suited to their lifestyle.
Major General Samir Faraj concluded his speech by affirming that the state strives to continue building and developing away from wars, while maintaining a strong army that protects the country, citing President Sisi's saying: "No one can interfere with their livelihood... and we have a strong army that protects the country, starting with Sinai".
