Israel Matzav: Egypt gets tough

Egypt gets tough

As many of you are undoubtedly aware, Egypt has been playing hardball with Hamas and its supporters over the last few days. The 'get tough' policy culminated in a riot of 'internationals' on Wednesday in El Arish and another by Gazans on the 'Palestinian' side of the border. Yes, an Egyptian cop was killed, but there were a lot more injuries sustained on the 'Palestinian' side.

Lest you think that Egypt has suddenly decided to do the bidding of its principal financial benefactor and of Little Satan, Zvi Barel explains that Egypt is after something else: The Mubarak government is trying to show Syria and Hamas who the boss is.

Egypt's stance does not arise from its desire to help the Israeli siege on Gaza or to respond to the United States' demand to prevent smuggling. It is intended to show both Hamas and Syria that just as it has the power to open the border crossings at will and relieve the siege, so it can twist Hamas' arm.

Egypt has good reason to do so, after Hamas refused to sign the reconciliation agreement with Fatah that Egypt had suggested. Egypt is also making it clear to Syria that from now on Damascus and Iran no longer have exclusive control over Hamas' moves, and that Cairo has a powerful economic lever at its disposal.

Egypt is interested in Palestinian reconciliation and wishes to set up a Palestinian unity government. Egypt has assured Hamas and Mahmoud Abbas of its support if such a government is formed, mainly because it does not want to be responsible for the Gaza Strip.

But Cairo is fed up with Hamas' foot-dragging and Tehran's meddling. In this Egypt is assisted by Saudi Arabia, which gave Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshal an ultimatum to decide whether he is running an Arab organization or is under the "patronage of a foreign power," i.e. Iran.

What's unsaid here is why Egypt wants that unity government. It doesn't want an entity controlled by Hamas on its border. Hamas has a branch in Egypt. It's called the Muslim Brotherhood. Mubarak fears nothing else in the world like he fears the Muslim Brotherhood.

Israel Matzav: Egypt gets tough