By Vice Adm. (res.) Eliezer Marom, ISRAEL HAYOM
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Egypt and Israel share coinciding interests, and Egypt does not object in any way to the weakening of the Muslim Brotherhood (and essentially hurting Hamas in the process). Egypt needs Israeli permission to deviate from the security appendix of the peace agreement to deploy significant forces into Sinai capable of tackling the Islamic terrorist cells there.
Again, Israel facilitates this due to its shared interests. The Israel Defense Forces, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Mossad have built an efficient intelligence array providing an abundance of information about activities in Sinai and Gaza, and which serves as an important tool for the Egyptian army in its efforts to hit the terrorist cells there. The outstanding cooperation between the IDF and Egyptian military is a valuable strategic asset for Israel, and is necessary for the sides to operate in a synchronized manner. The accusations against the Egyptian army for being an Israeli collaborator and the attempts to delegitimize Sissi’s rule require both sides to maintain secrecy in order to keep the channels of communication open.
In Syria, meanwhile, forces loyal to President Bashar Assad are battling the rabble of rebels seeking to depose him and establish an extremist Sunni Islamic state. Israel is trying not to get involved in the fighting, and the Iranian-Russian support of Assad allows, at this stage, for his survival and prevents the extremists from emerging victorious.
In Syria, as in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are meddling in the background, trying to influence the creation of a Sunni Islamic regime while pushing Shiite Iran out. And Syria, like Egypt, has shared interests with Israel, even if there is no mechanism to facilitate coordinated steps aside from the U.N. peacekeeping force stationed on the Golan Heights, or a third-country mediator. On the surface, establishing a secret channel of communication with Damascus seems impossible, but such an initiative would provide the security establishment in Israel greater flexibility to act and solve crises ad hoc, which is crucial in our ever-changing environment.
The unstable situation in the Middle East and the possibility that radical Islamist elements take control of the region are a significant threat to Israel, but this situation also holds many opportunities that we should try to exploit. In addition to maintaining a high alert level to help us intercept any threat, Israel should explore opening secret channels of dialogue that will help it in times of need.
Vice Adm. (res.) Eliezer Marom is a former Israel Navy commander.
Israel has allowed the Egyptians to violate the Camps David agreement of Egyptian demilitarization in the Sinai, an aim of the Egyptians from the day the agreements were signed. The Egyptian Army has been to have that part of the agreements annulled and have been trying in various ways to get Israel to agree to partial and incremental re-militarization. BB has allowed them to achieve their aim although partially today the principle has been irrevocably established.
“According to Cairo, the military has been successful in killing some 60 jihadists, of the several hundred that are estimated to be present in the peninsula”. http://www.timesofisrael.com/egypt-walks-the-wire-in-denying-israeli-attack-on-sinai/
Egypt’s campaign in the Sinai includes 11 infantry battalions along with special forces, a tank battalion, and Egyptian air force and intelligence units.
The forces listed above are in addition to others allowed by BB since taking office. Whatever the provocation those forces are in violation of the camp David agreements. They will never return to positions outside of Sinai and I would not be surprised if those Terrorists are not secretly supported by Egypt as an excuse to re-militarize the Sinai incrementally with Israeli approval and even support.
Look for increased terrorism and increased additions of the Egyptian army in Sinai. Look for BB and Israel to approve them. The Dam has been breached!!!
The Arabs are happy to allow the Islamists attack Israel – they will never help Israel as Eliezer Marom stupidly implies.
The only reason they fight them is the Islamists at the moment pose a greater danger to the existence of existing Arab regimes than they do to Israel. This has nothing to do with Arab love for Israel and Zionism.
That will never happen in the Middle East.