“Since October 7, the largest economic support to Tel Aviv has come from Egypt.”
With these words, the popular Saudi news account “Akhbar al-Saudiyya” — followed by nearly 24 million users on X (formerly Twitter) — commented on Egypt’s latest gas import deal with Israel.
The account, one of the most widely followed and influential inside the Kingdom, posted multiple tweets directly criticising the Egyptian government for its $35 billion gas agreement with Israel.
A Record-Breaking Deal with the Occupation
According to a Reuters report on 8 August, the deal — set to run until 2040 — was signed between Egypt’s Blue Ocean company and Israel’s NewMed Energy. Under the agreement, Israel will increase its gas exports to Egypt to 1.2 billion cubic feet per day.
Israel’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen described it as the largest deal in Israeli history, hailing it as a major political, economic, and regional achievement for the Zionist state.
Saudi Messaging: Not Random Words
The language of these criticisms recalls the famous phrase once written by Saud al-Qahtani, a close adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a key figure in Saudi political and media strategy:
“I do not speak off the top of my head.”
Al-Qahtani — also known as the leader of the Saudi “electronic flies” network — made it clear that no journalist or influencer in the Kingdom operates outside the directives of the Crown Prince. That editorial reality explains why such a high-profile account targeting Egypt signals a deliberate political move: Saudi Arabia is openly accusing President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of betrayal and supporting Israel.
A Coordinated Social Media Campaign
On social media — especially X and TikTok — a well-organised Saudi campaign has emerged against Egypt’s gas deal with Israel.
- Akhbar al-Saudiyya was joined by the influential Saudi account “Columbus”, widely believed to be run either by al-Qahtani himself or one of his close associates.
- Columbus launched direct attacks on Egyptian pro-government media figures such as Ahmed Moussa, exposing contradictions in their rhetoric — comparing their past criticism of Saudi Arabia for paying “a trillion dollars” during Donald Trump’s visit, to their current defence of Egypt paying billions to Israel for gas.
These posts triggered a wave of participation from Saudi journalists and long-time members of the electronic media networks, making the campaign one of the most aggressive in years.
The Saudi Argument: Betrayal of Palestine
The Saudi online offensive centred on two key messages:
- Egypt’s decision is a betrayal of Palestine and the people of Gaza, who are facing starvation under siege.
- Egypt is openly strengthening Israel at a time when Saudi Arabia claims to be pressuring the international community to establish a Palestinian state and halt the war on Gaza.
Some tweets went further, accusing the Egyptian government of dependency on Gulf — especially Saudi — aid, listing official figures for Saudi assistance to Egypt over the past decade.
While much of the campaign avoided vulgar insults, there were isolated cases of offensive language and calls to pressure Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia. Still, the core criticism — that the gas deal strengthens Israel — is a view many Arabs would share.
Tensions Beyond the Gas Deal
The current Saudi-Egyptian friction also has a deeper media backdrop. A pointed warning — “Patience has run out” — came from Saudi-naturalised Egyptian TV host Amr Adib in response to former Egyptian Minister of Information Anas al-Fiqi on X.
Adib’s statement hinted at tensions between Cairo and Riyadh after Egypt’s intelligence-owned United Media Services criticised Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season entertainment project and its patron, Turki al-Sheikh.
President Sisi soon gave a speech at the Military Academy stressing the “strength” of bilateral ties and urging social media users not to fall into the trap of sedition. Tarek Nour, head of United Media Services, echoed this in a tweet, calling for respect toward Saudi leadership and avoidance of divisive campaigns.
Riyadh’s response, however, was an unprecedented escalation — a direct accusation of treachery, collaboration, and aiding Israel.
What Comes Next?
The ball is now in Cairo’s court. The Egyptian leadership and its media arms face a choice:
- Respond to the Saudi accusations of betrayal and collusion with Israel
- Or risk letting this public dispute redefine a relationship long presented as unshakable.
Ironically, as some sarcastic commentators note, if the rhetoric continues, Mohammed bin Salman might be painted by Egyptian media as “Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood” instead of Benjamin Netanyahu — a reminder of how quickly political narratives shift in the Arab world.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and all other Gulf states are aiding and abetting Israel. A ship load of weapons from Saudi to Israel was blocked by Spanish workers. UAE is sending truck loads of weaponry to Israel via Jordan. Who is trying to fool whom?