Egypt still sees Turkey as strategic threat: Israel
RAMALLAH, Palestine (North Press) – On Friday, the Institute for Policy and Strategy in Herzliya, Israel, reported that the change in Turkey and Qatar’s foreign policy towards Egypt, which has become clear in recent months, will advance Cairo’s strategic goals.
The Turkish interest requires the restoration of relations with Egypt, in the absence of a realistic project for the return of the Muslim Brotherhood to power, and the desire to prevent regional isolation, curb Greek-Egyptian-Cypriot steps in the eastern basin of the Mediterranean and in Libya, and reduce friction in Cairo.
Israeli analysts believe that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has softened the hostile rhetoric against the Egyptian rule, and declared his desire to increase cooperation and confidence between the two countries.
On the other hand, Turkey is still investing in its military presence in Libya, seeking to establish a logistical base that serves trade with Africa and ensures close strategic cooperation with Tripoli.
While Turkey shows its initial readiness to withdraw its proxies and “mercenaries” from Libya, it never intends to give up its increasing security and economic control over the country, according to the Israeli Institute.
Egypt believes that there is an opportunity to advance its strategic goals in the regional arena and in Washington, in addition to the reconciliation agreement with Qatar, the ceasefire in Libya, a change in the hostile Turkish policy, and the repercussions of the conflict in the Gaza Strip on Egypt’s standing.
All of the above led to an effective strategy to advance its security and political goals and to tighten its grip in the internal arena, according to Israeli observers.
Israeli strategic observers say that the Egyptian interest in advancing political, economic, and security relations with Qatar results from an intelligent understanding of the risks, and an appreciation that the benefits in the agreements are greater than the threat they pose.
“The Egyptian regime has no illusions about the deep relationship that exists between Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood movement,” the Israeli observers pointed out.
However, closer relations with Qatar entail a strategic gain that Egypt cannot ignore, “attracting foreign investments to the Egyptian economy, which is suffering as a result of difficult fundamental problems exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis, and the possibility of advancing national and security interests in Libya and Ethiopia,” according to the Israeli observers.
Egypt found in the regional change that occurred an opportunity to strike the Muslim Brotherhood movement internally, and advance its political and security goals in the region and in the US.
On the other hand, it still considers Turkey a multi-dimensional strategic threat and a threat to the Egyptian national security interest, and Egypt does not intend to change its policy towards it at this stage, the Israeli Institute stressed.
Israeli strategic observers believe that increased cooperation in the fields of energy economy and the close network of security-military relations between Israel and Egypt, which has strengthened in recent years, constitute important tools for reducing political gaps and strengthening strategic cooperation between the two countries.