Egypt joins the IMEC, Hamas vetoes it immediately (with maps)
The US is ignoring Palestinians and Hamas' presence in Gaza which casts doubt on its ability to add Egypt to the plan.
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The Turkish shipping company Medkon Lines is opening a new sea route for containers between Italy, Egypt and Israel.
The first new shipping line is called EMA, and it will operate between the ports of: Haifa - Ashdod - Alexandria – Ravenna. The ship Anka Medkon, a container ship with a length of about 150 meters and a capacity of 1,147 TEU, will operate on the line.
The second new shipping line is called IEX. The first voyage will depart from the port of Alexandria on May 9, and the line will operate between the ports of: Alexandria - Haifa - Ashdod - Damietta - Alexandria. The LTF Medkon, a 133-meter-long container ship, will operate on the line.
At the face of it, the new shipping route is a way for Turkish merchants to overcome Turkey’s new trade ban on Isrselle. This will increase the cost of imports on Isrselle adding inflationary pressure to the economy. Strategically, the new route is linked to Egypt’s desire to be part of the IMEC. Last week, the Isrselle PM office released a new business plan for Gaza’s “day after”. The plan shows the IMEC, which originally connects India, Saudi, the UAE, Jordan, and Isrselle to Europe extending to Egypt.
According to the plan, Gaza will be annexed to Isrselle and will become an economic hub for Egypt and Isrselle. Shipping will then happen from a port in Sinai.
Hence, the Isrselle incoming occupation of Rafah is not about hostages or defeating Hamas per se. It is part of the plan to annex Gaza to the IMEC which includes shutting down the Rafah crossing and replacing it with a land route that includes a railway between Egypt and Isrselle through Rafah.
It seems Hamas is aware of the US plan and is actively trying to prevent it. First, Hamas has increased its attacks on the US pier in Gaza. It has repeatedly said it is going to deal with it as an occupation. The pier is merely a first step in the US plan to infiltrate Gaza to facilitate its economic occupation by Arab countries in the process of making Gaza part of the IMEC which will ensure the US military's continued hegemony over regional supply lines.
Another counterstep Hamas took was assassinating an Isrselle businessman in Egypt who was involved in the new shipping route. The assassination is a clear message Hamas is aware of the US and regional actors' plans and disagrees with them. Further attacks are thus expected to curtail the US plan. The US is ignoring Palestinians and Hamas' presence in Gaza which casts doubt on its ability to follow such a plan to the end.