[The North Africa Post, The Times of Israel]
“Roni Daniel, an Israeli military analyst, told Israeli TV channel 2 that Israel was informed by General Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi three days prior to Morsi’s ousting and approved of it.”
“According to Daniel, a compromise was agreed upon with the Israeli authorities, General Al –Sisi worrying over reprisals from Hamas. Before removing Morsi from power, he got assurances from Israel that the Gaza strip controlled by Hamas is under intensive Israeli surveillance.”
“On the other hand, Israel considers Morsi’s departure as an “urgent demand” for the Jewish state and its security. It suggested that the general should destroy the tunnels linking Palestine to Egypt because it considers it as a threat to its security. Egypt has embarked on such operations. The Muslim Brotherhood accuses Al-Sisi of being an accessory to Israel and the US. The recent revelations by an Israeli military analyst can fuel anger and violence in the ongoing mass demonstrations. Daniel claims that El-Baradei met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before and after the coup and has been assured of Israel’s support for Western recognition.”
“Other military analysts have also attested that Al-Sisi and Mohamed El-Baradei have been in contact with the Israeli government.”
“The Israeli government intends to step up this week a campaign urging the United States and the European Union to back the interim military government in Egypt, despite the regime’s rise to power through violence and its ongoing crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, The New York Times reported late Sunday.”
“The report cited a senior Israeli official who, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied claims made in an earlier New York Times report that Israel’s involvement was “undercutting” Western diplomatic efforts in Cairo. The Israeli official said that, for now, the choice in Egypt was “army or anarchy.””
“Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the general who orchestrated the military takeover that ousted president Mohammed Morsi and replaced him with an interim government led by Hazem el-Beblawi, was said to have cultivated close ties with Israel during his tenure as head of military intelligence in Egypt.”
“The 58-year-old general and his close circle, the report said, have kept in close contact with Israel even as fighting erupted on the streets of Cairo, killing 173 over the weekend and, all told, over 800 people since Wednesday’s dismantling of two encampments of Morsi supporters in Cairo — an act that sparked fierce clashes.”
“The Israeli official who spoke to The New York Times said that Israeli ambassadors would work to convince foreign ministers across Europe that the military-backed government in Cairo was the only way to prevent Egypt from falling even deeper into chaos.”
“US officials have been grappling with the question of what magnitude of violence would warrant cutting aid to Egypt. And while Israeli decision makers largely believe Washington should back el-Sissi, some experts expressed concern that openly backing the military in the midst of daily blatant violations of Egyptians’ human rights could damage Israel’s credentials as a democracy.”
Giora Eiland, a former chairman of Israel’s National Security Council “suggested that international condemnations of the Egyptian military’s actions have been excessive. He said Israeli and Western interests are “much closer” to the interests of el-Sissi and his secular allies.”
““Even if we don’t share the same values, we can share the same interests,” he said. “The Israeli interest is quite clear. We want a stable regime in Egypt.””
Two “former Israeli ambassadors to Egypt, Eli Shaked and Yitzhak Levanon, […] said that Israel had handled the situation in Egypt extremely well”
“Levanon said that rather than “pushing” governments to act one way or another, Israel has been “expressing what we believe is best for the region.””
“Shaked claimed that Israel had “acted very discreetly” and said that Jerusalem “did not have any illusions about the possibility of a democracy in Egypt,” a mistake he said was made by both the US and the EU.”
““I understand Washington and Europe with their criticism, but there is no alternative to letting the army in Egypt try by force,” he explained”.
““The Israeli and Egyptian security establishments are operating inside a bubble and, for the time being, there are no signs that relations between them have cooled,” wrote Alex Fishman, a military affairs commentator for the Yedioth Ahronoth daily.”
“Israeli officials say the peace accord remains intact, and dismiss speculation that it could be threatened.”
“Shaked, the former Israeli ambassador in Egypt, told AP the scenario of the Camp David accords unraveling was highly unlikely. He said it was highly doubtful the United States would cut off aid to Egypt and even if it did, he could not envision Egypt canceling the peace treaty.”
““They have no interest in engaging in another conflict they have neither the time nor the energy for,” he said. “They need us now, with or without American aid.””
Read more: Egypt: Israel gave Al-Sisi the green light, ‘Israel intensifying bid to rally support for Egypt military rule’
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