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Israel Is Quietly Rooting for Egypt's Sisi

(Middle East Eye-UK) Lily Galili - Israeli politicians are playing down the outbreak of protests against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, yet there is deep concern about the future of a man often labelled as "the most pro-Israeli Egyptian leader ever." Israelis also recognize that any expression of concern to that effect is bound to do Sisi more harm than good. "I certainly hope Sisi survives this round of protests," said Zvi Magen, a former Israeli military intelligence officer and now a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). Under Sisi, military cooperation with Israel in Sinai has reached unprecedented levels, with both countries identifying Islamic State- and al-Qaeda-linked militants as a common threat. While Egyptian forces are waging the war there on the ground, Israel is providing crucial intelligence. Efraim Halevy, the former head of Israel's Mossad, noted, "The security of Egypt and its political system - certainly now the security of President Sisi - are a vital security interest for Israel. Egypt has the largest population in the Arab world and a long border with Israel and Sinai."
2019-10-08 00:00:00
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