Egypt

Egyptian and Israeli interests converge in Gaza, Sinai, Syria, and Libya, and regarding Turkey and other regional matters.

With gas alliance moored to Turkey tensions, Israel tacks toward energy security
Dr. Eran Lerman: The direction is to bring the Egyptians in, which will them resistant to Turkish blandishment, which seems to be increasing. Dr. Eytan Yanarocak: Erdogan is trying to mend the fences with Joe Biden.

Egypt's Challenges between East and West
Interview with Dr. Eran Lerman

A Cold Egyptian-Israeli Peace Undermines Both Culture and Security
The old paradigm of scapegoating Israel undermines Egyptian national security interests. Prof. Efraim Inbar: Egyptian distrust of Israel is rooted in cultural and religious barriers.

Israel should exploit the expanding rift between Ankara and Tehran to normalize its relations with Turkey. This also could bring Turkey into the circle of countries supporting the Abraham Accords.

Rare visit to Israel by Egypt’s oil minister sends signals to Biden, Erdogan
Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman: The trip, following similar delegations of Greek and Cypriot leaders, is intended to show that regional allies are united and coordinated when dealing with foes and friends, including President Biden.

The next Israeli government would be well-advised to come-up with its own proposals for improving the life of Palestinians, both to further improve its own regional standing and to meet (some of the) administration’s expectations, in dialogue and partnership.

With US cold shoulder, should Israel now pivot towards France?
Col. Olivier Rafowicz: France’s political interests currently dovetail with Israel’s on multiple issues. Col. Eran Lerman: Israel needs to be more closely coordinated with Paris.

Arabs states draw closer to Israel to counter non-Arab powers Turkey and Iran
Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak: Almost in every theater, Turkey, Qatar and Hamas are challenging the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Israeli general calls for closer cooperation with Egypt against Turkey
Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman: Egypt and Israel are annoyed by Erdogan's ambition to establish a neo-Ottoman era, which is increasingly dangerous.

Egypt's public welcome of the normalization between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan is one of the payoffs emerging from the important Egypt-Israel partnership in the eastern Mediterranean.

Mideast Arms Race: Is Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge Eroding?
Prof. Efraim Inbar: Part of the price of peace is that the Arabs receive American weapons. It happened with Egypt and Jordan. It’s nothing new.

The efforts of Moscow to assert itself as a power in the eastern Mediterranean should sound a cautionary note.

China aims to play a more proactive role in the Middle East, maintaining cordial relations with all rival countries. Beijing attaches great importance to its ties with Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and Egypt, and therefore has welcomed the Abraham Accords (albeit in lukewarm fashion, because of tensions with the Trump administration).

Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan seek to develop a regional bloc in the geographical center of the Arab world. But all three countries are poor and dependent in for economic largesse on more wealthy partners, so their regional aspirations and strategies will necessarily be limited.

Israel is a key player in the crisis currently unfolding in the eastern Mediterranean basin, on the same side as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece.

This paper reviews the responses of Middle Eastern countries to the spread of the coronavirus and highlights diplomatic and defense implications stemming from the situation. The assessment of JISS fellows is that the coronavirus crisis will not fundamentally change power dynamics in the region or alter the prevailing ambitions and policies of key countries.

Since 2014, Sisi and Putin have brought Egyptian and Russian interests into closer alignment. While Egypt wants to maintain its strategic relationship with the US, it desires to diversify its sources of support. It is in Israel's interest that America maintains its influence in Egypt, and that the common Egyptian and Russian effort in Libya will prevail over Turkey's influence.

Egypt may be beginning to emerge from its self-imposed strategic seclusion.

It is in Israel's interest to solidify the Egyptian role in Gaza, in the context of "conflict management" as a governing policy concept. Egyptian participation in the efforts to stabilize the situation in Gaza serves as an important component in the vital Egypt-Israel relationship. It also helps erode Hamas' pretensions of Jihad.

The Greek-Cypriot-Egyptian summit held last month in Crete focused on energy connectivity and Turkish threats, but it also paid lip service to Egyptian pro-Palestinian messages, which is problematic.

Egyptian President Al-Sisi's greatest challenges are combatting terrorism in Sinai and beyond, spurring economic growth, capitalizing on the country's energy opportunities, carrying forward great national projects, solving the Nile waters challenge posed by Ethiopia, and addressing critics in Europe and the United States. Given the alternatives, it is very much in the interest of Israel and regional allies to assist Sisi, while simultaneously encouraging him to curb some his regime’s most repressive characteristics.

Hopes and fears abound as President Sisi begins his second term. The winter of 2011 seemed to usher in a democratic spring. But the spring of 2018 seems to be authoritarian autumn.

Israel is part of the Mediterranean community, both in strategic terms and in many aspects of the country's culture and its way of life. Translating this into a new regional security architecture is in Israel's national interest.

Israeli experts question Egypt’s military buildup. Comment by Dr. Yagil Henkin, Defense News, 10.01.2018

The ongoing Egyptian military buildup is an enigma. It is an impressive effort in terms of budget, acquisition of modern weaponry, and training. But why is Egypt investing so heavily in its military? Israel has to be wary, even though a military confrontation with Egypt is not expected.

Everything must be done by Jerusalem to preserve the peace treaty with Egypt, but Israel should still prepare itself for worst-case scenarios.