Watan-A stir has arisen over the past hours, as residents of Rafah city in the northern governorate of North Sinai, in the far northeast of the country, were surprised to find more than one billboard bearing the inscription “The City of Sisi Welcomes Esteemed Visitors.”
These billboards were spread in various locations in the Ajra’ area, the southernmost part of Rafah.
Local sources stated that the “Al-Arjani for Development” group, specialized in contracting and real estate development, placed these advisory billboards, leading to what was said to be a “developmental gathering” being constructed in the Ajra’ area of Rafah.
Palestinian Displacement Scheme
It’s noteworthy that the talk about establishing new residential settlements in Rafah has been closely linked to a scheme to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, with Egypt being accused of facilitating and pushing for the completion of this scheme.
However, the North Sinai governorate has not announced any information regarding the project.
The sources mentioned that the area where the project is claimed to be established is under the control of the armed forces.
فوجئ سكان مدينة رفح المصرية بلافتات إعلانية كتب عليها “مدينة السيسي ترحب بالسادة الزائرين”، بأكثر من مكان في منطقة العرجاء في رفح. pic.twitter.com/ceC64u87VH
— العربي الجديد (@alaraby_ar) April 23, 2024
It’s known that the Sinai businessman Ibrahim Al-Arjani, owner of the “Al-Arjani” group, is one of the businessmen closest to the political regime in Egypt, with his company undertaking numerous projects both inside and outside Sinai.
On November 12, 2023, the so-called “Sinai Tribes Union,” led by Al-Arjani and supervised by the Military Intelligence, laid the foundation stone for the city of Ajra’ east of Sheikh Zuweid city in North Sinai.
This event was attended by the Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, the Sheikh of Sinai Tribes Union, Ibrahim Al-Arjani, the commander of the Second Army, Major General Mohamed Rabei, and the governor of North Sinai, Major General Abdel Fadil Shousha.
Developmental Gathering Specifications
The new city of Ajra’ consists of approximately 900 houses, providing housing for 3,500 residents from Sinai in this new city.
The second phase of the new city of Rafah will also be implemented, where 4,352 housing units were executed in the first phase, and it is planned to start implementing another 9,248 housing units in the second phase and complete the facilities area.
Madbouly previously stated that 11 developmental clusters have been implemented in North and Central Sinai, including Bedouin houses in Bir al-Abd, Nakhl, and Hassana, and social housing in other areas.
He indicated approval for the establishment of other projects including 21 clusters, divided into 3 main centers, with 6 clusters in Rafah to accommodate 37,000 people, 11 clusters in Sheikh Zuweid to accommodate 27,000 people, and 4 clusters in Arish to accommodate 5,000 people, as well as establishing schools, hospitals, service centers, and developing infrastructure to improve the quality of life in the region.
#عاجل: حصلت مؤسسة سيناء على فيديو حصري يظهر موقع سقوط قذيفة “مجهولة المصدر” في منطقة العجراء جنوب رفح بشمال سيناء مساء أمس الثلاثاء.
وقال شهود عيان أن انفجاراً قويا وقع في حدود السابعة مساء أمس الثلاثاء، في منطقة تبعد عن الحدود مع إسرائيل بمسافة 1 كيلومتر، دون أن يتسبب في وقوع… pic.twitter.com/697ZgV0IAz
— Sinai for Human Rights (@Sinaifhr) November 15, 2023
Unknown Source Shell Explosion
It’s worth noting that on November 15, 2023, two days after the Prime Minister’s visit to the area to inaugurate the project, the “Sinai Foundation” published a video showing the site of the explosion of an “unknown source” shell in the Ajra’ area south of Rafah.
Eyewitnesses reported that “a strong explosion occurred around 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, in an area about one kilometer away from the border with occupied Palestine, without causing any casualties or losses among civilians.”
The Ajra’ area is located south of Rafah in North Sinai, bordering the Israeli occupation state, and has often been classified as a smuggling corridor before being entered by the military in collaboration with the “Sinai Tribes Union.”