Why lose Egypt?

[bemildred]

For several months now, the media has been reporting that Israel is angry at Egypt's behavior. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who is responsible for strengthening Israel's ties with the rest of the world, launched this trend in December. The rightist opposition continued it, from MK Yuval Steinitz to former minister Avigdor Lieberman.

After Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced that red lines had been crossed and Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit threatened that Egypt could have a negative influence on Israel's interests, Israeli officials ceased speaking on the record, but continued to attack Egypt anonymously, via unnamed "government officials."

The obvious question is, what would Israel gain by destroying its relationship with Egypt, of all countries, and now, of all times, when Egypt is mediating the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit? Has Israel stopped seeing the largest Arab state as a partner that could effect change in the Middle East and lead it in the direction of a comprehensive peace and a historic reconciliation? Does Israel intend from now on to rely on the emirate of Qatar rather than Egypt? The grievance against Egypt, as formulated by Livni, is that its efforts to stop arms smuggling across its border with Gaza are "terrible, problematic and impair the ability to advance the peace process." Others have reiterated the old cliche about a "cold peace."

Anyone who peruses government documents will discover numerous studies "proving" that Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel not out of an ideological commitment to peace, but solely for reasons of self-interest. Therefore, Egypt is considered suspect, and woe to the prime minister who does not toe the line of this paradigm that Jewish "experts" have brought to Arab affairs.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/957980.html

[pelsar]

1. i really hate stupid statements....

....Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel not out of an ideological commitment to peace, but solely for reasons of self-interest

since when does any country do anything that is not in their own self interest?

[bemildred]

2. He gets to that farther down.

But I share your opinion of that statement.

[azurnoir]

3. So your saying being commited to war is

in Egypt's best interest? Interesting to say the least

[pelsar]

4. countries....

like people do whats in the their own interests .....thats how it works......its the same for jews, israelis, jihadnikim, egyptians, zygotes etc......for some peace is in their own best interest, others prefer war to advance their agendas....to each his/her own.....

to think otherwise is to not understand how this world works......

[azurnoir]

5. Zygotes have their own country?

I would have never "made" you for quite that mind set, seriously I wasn't quite sure where you were going with your comment about best interests though, what piques my curiosity is why does the Israeli right-wing seem to want want to undo(?) the peace treaty, that is in no ones interest best or otherwise or is all talk and attention getting?

[pelsar]

6. the right wing...

doesnt trust egypt...which is reasonable as egypt doesnt trust israel. im not sure they want to *undo* the peace as much as they prefer not to take egypts interests into consideration....or, as you wrote, it could be that they want some attention, they havent been getting much recently.