One week after a cross-border terrorist attack against southern Israel left at least seven dead and dozens wounded, the Israeli government has agreed to allow Egypt to send a massive influx of additional troops into the Sinai Peninsula.
The move, reportedly agreed to by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, would allow thousands of additional troops as well as more helicopters and armored vehicles. No additional tanks would be allowed in the region.
The 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt severely restricts the amount of troops Egypt is allowed to bring into Sinai, limiting it only to a small, lightly armed border patrol. Increasingly, though, the Egyptian regime has lost control of the peninsula, and officials see a major military action in the region as the simplest way to reclaim it.
Its possible impact on last week’s terror attack in Israel was likely limited, however, as Israeli officials maintain that the attackers actually snuck into Egypt by way of the Gaza Strip, before attacking Israel.
I have to wonder- why no increase in the amount of tanks allowed into the Sinai? And why all of a sudden is Israel cozying up to Egypt- are they maybe a little bit concerned about getting dissed in front of the whole world?
While I am happy the tension may be dropping a fraction, I still smell something fishy about this 'deal'. As far as I'm concerned, Egypt shouldn't trust Israel one iota but we'll all just have to wait and see what happens.
Israeli troops and Egyptian troops staring at each other in the Sinai peninsula? Oh yeah, THAT"S a good Idea! (sarcasm)
This reminds me of the danzig corridor. This could spontaneously turn into a major war between Israel and Egypt.
Israel gives Egypt permission to disassemble some of their best units and send pieces out into the Sinai. This is done in a pattern leaving them entirely vulnerable to the Israeli forces, at a time when the only Egyptian uniformed personnel killer were killed by Israeli forces.
The Egyptians would be better advised to decline this permission. The interests they have permission to protect at this price are all Israeli interests anyway.