By Elisabeth Hinze
Operation Protective Edge did much more than simply pitch the Israeli Defence Force and Hamas against one another on opposite sides of the trenches. Sure, the battle was fought on a tiny sliver of land hardly visible on a world map. Yet the ripple effect was huge. Disproportionately so. Far from surprising, I know. Nearly every nation, every government and every prime minister or president had an opinion, spoke out or offered advice on how Israel should have handled the situation. Nothing new there either. Yet Operation Protective Edge did have its surprises. Or rather, a surprise partnership.
The media called it an “unlikely alliance between Israel and Egypt.” And judging from their track record, at first glance the alliance seemed to be just that: highly unlikely. Because Israel and Egypt share a history that is almost as old as time itself. It’s been an eventful relationship to say the least. The past few millennia have seen times of ferocious animosity, frosty cooperation and even tactical friendship. The pendulum swung back and forth, never really settling anywhere for long.
It all began with Patriarch Abraham and his beautiful wife fleeing a famine in Israel for the food found in Egypt. Years later, his grandson, Joseph, becomes a more permanent yet rather unwilling resident in Egypt. And then emerges a few years later as its second in command. You know the rest of the story. Joseph’s brothers come begging for food, only to find their long lost brother along with the grain they so desperately need. Upon which the whole family relocates to Egypt. But with the family reunion a thing of the past, things go downhill. Finally the God of Israel defeats the cruel slave master Pharaoh and Israel shakes the dust of Egypt from their feet as they head for the Promised Land. After the Ten Plagues, the land of Egypt lays in shambles. What riches remain, Israel takes with them on the way out. And then the illustrious Egyptian army disappears under the waters of the Red Sea. With Israel standing safely on the shore.
Oh I’d say the relationship between Israel and Egypt started out pretty eventful. And judging from the way in which the two nations parted ways, the scene for future interactions was set. Things quieted down considerably after that. But Egypt never really disappeared from Israel’s radar. In fact, the Bible mentions Egypt more than 600 times. Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter as part of a political alliance. The kings of Judah made a disastrous choice of ally when they decided to ask Egypt’s help to fight off the Babylonians. And a young couple from Bethlehem fled to the safety of Egypt with their baby boy after an angel warned them of impending doom. But that’s all ancient history, right?
The birth of the modern state of Israel ushered in a next chapter in the Israel-Egypt saga. New millennium, new generations, yet the script appeared unchanged. Once again, Egypt was out for Jewish blood. Instead of murdering the new-born males to cripple the nation, this time Egypt and its allies used modern technology. Four wars followed, one per decade: 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973. Each one ended in much the same way as the Exodus started: the God of Israel triumphing over the might of Egypt.
And then came Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s surprise move in 1977. Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace agreement with Israel. And by default, the first to acknowledge Israel’s existence. Which meant that the two neighbours would live harmoniously, side by side. And so they did. Israel and Egypt avoided facing one another on the battlefield.
Whether the entire Egypt shared the desire for peace is debatable. Demonising Israel and its people remained a favorite amongst the majority of Egyptian state-controlled newspapers. Anti-Semitism was rife amongst the population. So much so that many referred to the relationship between Israel and Egypt as a “cold peace”. Yet a closer look at the events of the past 30 odd years reveals much more than a resolve to tolerate instead of annihilate. The peace agreement went beyond simply preventing wars.
Following President Sadat’ assassination in 1981 he was replaced by his second-in-command, Hosni Mubarak. Hailed by many as Israel’s closest ally in the Middle East, Mubarak even attended Yitzhak Rabin’s funeral, where he delivered a eulogy.
Sure, the Israel-Egypt saga had its hiccups. The relations grew chilly, warmed up, soured and then recovered numerous times. In fact, the Egyptian ambassador to Israel was recalled during the First Lebanon War and again during 2001 – 2005 in the Second Intifada. Yet one issue seems to unite Israel and Egypt. It runs through the last decade like the common thread pulling the two nations together. It is something that enables Egypt to see beyond the wounded pride of the Red Sea and the Six Day War. That something comes in the form of a terrorist organisation threatening both the Israeli and Egyptian borders. It is that realisation, the mutual agreement that Hamas won’t simply let up or quiet down. That smuggling would increase, that terror attacks would come more frequently. Unless preventative measures are taken.
The understanding led to Israel enforcing a blockage on its borders with Gaza. Egypt soon followed suit and closed its Rafah border crossing in 2007. Cooperation between the two countries became a given. They were, after all, in the same boat, trying to secure its borders from the same terror. Which meant that Israel and Egypt worked together in a practical way to combat the flow of weapons to Hamas. It was far from a warm, loving friendship. But it was something.
All that changed suddenly in 2011. The Mubarak government made way for the Muslim Brotherhood. And the Israel-Egypt relationship was in for its frostiest chill in almost 40 years. The Muslim Brotherhood was quick to assure Israel that it would honour the peace treaty, but the Israel-Egypt border soon went from relative quiet and control to a region fraught with terror and conflict. The Rafah border crossing opened in 2011. People and goods began flowing freely between Egypt and Gaza. But so did weapons. And Hamas relished the opportunity to arm itself.
Things looked bleak for the ago-old saga of Israel and Egypt. But this is the Middle East. A region fraught with changes, uncertainties and shifting loyalties. The next chapter in the tale of Israel and Egypt was about to unfold.
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