Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz reacted May 8 to reports about the United States considering to withdraw its troops from the Sinai Peninsula, saying, "The international force in Sinai is important, and the American participation in it is important. Certainly, the issue will be raised between us and the Americans." Steinitz was referring specifically to a May 7 statement by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, who told The Wall Street Journal that the American military efforts in Sinai aren't the best use of department resources or worth the risk to the 400 American troops there.
The Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) was born after the 1978 signing of the peace accords between Israel and Egypt, with a mission to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the Egypt-Israel peace treaty. From the very start and over the years, the force enjoyed good cooperation with both Israel and with Egypt.
