Current Bulletin Issue - Volume 17, Bulletin 3, September 2004

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Chechnya Sudan Yemen

Iraq Afghanistan Pakistan

IS EGYPT STILL AT WAR?

Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979 under which the entire Sinai Peninsula reverted to its rule. But the treaty had other provisions too: It forbade hostile propaganda against Israel and provided for normalization of relations between the two countries. In typical Moslem fashion, Egypt has ignored these provisions. It has conducted propaganda against Israel throughout the world; editorials and caricatures in its press, governmental and other, spew hatred against the Jewish state; Egyptians favoring normalization are persecuted, and in its schoolbooks “Palestine” replaces Israel on the maps.

Yet the best proof that Egypt still considers itself at war with Israel are the arms continuously supplied to the Palestinians in Gaza through tunnels dug beneath the Egyptian-Palestinian border. These arms are used for terrorist acts. Most tunnels exit in buildings on the Palestinian side, and the PLO strongly objects when Israeli forces destroy them. Despite repeated Israeli protests, Egypt has done nothing to stop this flow of arms to terrorists.

It is high time Israeli governments began to take this behavior seriously. This means punishing Egypt for it and not offering favors without recompense. The punishment should, first and foremost, be economic. Egypt buys ridiculously little in Israel, so imports from Egypt (including oil and gas) should be actively discouraged. Oil and gas can be obtained elsewhere. Russia and Kazakhstan have it in plenty and mutually advantageous trade agreements can probably be signed with either or both that will have the additional benefit of increasing Israel’s exports. However, this requires serious application and good negotiators at all levels. If nothing is done to promote this subject, nothing will happen. And for as long as there is no Egyptian tourism of any significance the Israeli tourism to Egypt, including Sinai, should be strongly discouraged regardless of whether the security situation there is good or not.

Exchanges of political visits should also be discouraged – at least until President Mubarak is ready to visit Israel – and on no account should Egypt be approached to mediate between Israel and anyone else – least of all the Palestinians. Running after Cairo does not improve relations with Egypt. It only causes Egyptians to treat Israel with contempt.