Analysis: Officials in Cairo and in Jerusalem voiced the same mantra over the weekend: It’s not ISIS, it’s Hamas which is insisting on rocking Egypt. But for how long can Israel rely solely on Egypt to keep the triangle of terror off its fence?
There are two ways to look at the image and conduct of General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the president of Egypt: He is either a nervous dictator who takes the law into his hands, silences people, throws his rivals in jail and sentences them to death by mere words, or a patriotic leader who has come to turn over a new leaf, stabilize the complicated security situation, create economic solutions and restore the trust of the world and of some 100 million Egyptian residents.
One thing’s for sure: He should not be envied. Last week’s assassination of Egypt’s top public prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, conveys a threatening message to go even further, all the way to the presidential palace. Al-Sisi decided to flex his muscles and showed up at Barakat’s funeral – quite a big headache for his bodyguards. On Saturday he made history by paying a visit, in military uniform, to the soldiers in Sinai in order to lift their spirits.
His message is clear and firm: All’s fair in love and war, and those who have been hit with a death sentence for their contribution to terror attacks had better not dream of escaping the gibbet. The cameras caught a glimpse of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, in his cage, marking the “we slaughtered him” sign on his neck. Who needs further proof of the Muslim Brotherhood’s involvement in the tsunami Egypt is experiencing now?
Unlike US President Barack Obama, Israel is indifferent to the state of democracy and human rights in Egypt. Israel wants a strong rais. After all, al-Sisi’s enemies are our enemies. Over the weekend, we heard the same mantra from Cairo and from Tel Aviv: Hamas’ military wing is pushing for radicalization vis-à-vis Israel and vis-à-vis Egypt.
Here, the coordinator of the government’s activities in the territories, Major-General Yoav Mordechai, chose to quarrel with an al-Jazeera anchorwoman in order to relay the following message: Israel knows that Hamas’ military wings are smuggling murderers, weapons and combat trainers into Sinai.
In Cairo, at the same time, a military source went on the air and hurled similar accusations: It’s not the Islamic State, it’s Hamas which is insisting on rocking Egypt. The immediate conclusion is that the coordination between the Mukhabarat headquarters in Cairo and the Kirya base in Tel Aviv is working.
No one is talking about the extent and depth of the cooperation with Egypt. One thing is clear: Israel cannot afford to have the triangle of terror – the new local branch of ISIS, the Muslim Brotherhood’s “volunteers” and the infiltrators from Gaza – sitting on its fence. When this triangle demonstrates alarming abilities against the Egyptian security organizations in Sinai, attacking 19 of the security forces’ centers simultaneously, red lights are turned on here. When they fire a missile (or three missiles, according to reports on the other side), it raises the question how long can we continue relying solely on Egypt.
The Egyptian prime minister is willing to admit that there is a “real war” taking place in Sinai. Officials in Tel Aviv’s Kirya base say the Egyptian army can do much more and enter the real centers of terror in Jabal Halal and in the Sinai caves. Egypt must choose who will be more convenient to confront – terrorist gangs infiltrating from Libya or the military wings of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
In the meantime, the wave of terror torpedoed the first anniversary celebrations of al-Sisi’s presidency. The Brothers in their prison cells are not afraid to boast that “the final word has yet to be said,” and Cairo is preparing to curb the next terror attack – as no one can guess where and when explosive devices will be planted.
Al-Sisi’s major test will arrive next month, with a long series of ceremonies and VIPs who have been invited – although it’s not so sure they will arrive now – to the inauguration of the new Suez Canal. This is the future. Tens of thousands of new workplaces are being created here. The date, the location and the targets have been marked by the military wings and terrorist gangs. They will do anything to sabotage the event.
I expect that any terror or threat to sisi will be replied to with the cold blooded murder of top MB leadership, both in their homes and in jail cellls now. I do not see sisi as a nervous PM but as one who will liquidate MB leadership in a most ruthless fashion. He has the billions behind him suporting him securing his administration. A smart man will take the intiative and find ways to ged rid of them early before the money runs out. Every terror event solidifies support for sisi to kill MB leaders and punish hamas. terror is not on their side;terror strengthens sisi.
This is another BS article from a superficial reporter.
I beleive that sisi is waiting for the moment that the egyptian masses are enraged with the MB and he can execute MOrsi and the top MB. For that he needs a particularly heinous act killing egyptian soldiers: then it is bye bye morsi & co.
invoking the “common enemy” psychology has roots throughout history and should be made available currently
i look at the postulators of the 2 way syndrome the same as those postualting the “only way” syndrom: folks lacking imagination or the ability to think and perceive outside of their box. what they really mean is that is all they can think of which is why they are usually reporters and pundits rather than leaders.
If Egypt could annihilate Israel, it would do so immediately. The Israeli-Egyptian “peace” is an artifice that exists only because the Egyptians currently lack the means to kill the Jews. Any cooperative arrangement should always be made with that reality foremost in mind. The fact that the Israelis and Egyptians have common enemies does not alter the more-important fact that the Egyptian heart is filled with malice against Israel.
I would trust this prez-general to time properly when he will attack both Gaza and Libya.
It is very clear to us that the General counts with the majority of his people and power centers.
Is YNET Egypt’s keeper? Why should a mere arm of the Israeli Oslo families determine what anyone else anywhere should be? To fit YNET’s programs, that is, the YNET’s controllers programs? The notorious Mozes family who allied with the Obama administration to distort the Israeli elections seems to be in control of YNET.