The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Egypt vs. Hamas

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Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Israeli offensive in Gaza is that, for the moment at least, Israel and Egypt seem to be allied. Haaretz reports that Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni traveled to Cairo to inform Hosni Mubarak that Israel would be striking Hamas. The Egyptian government is explicitly blaming Hamas for continuing to fire rockets into Israel in the face of repeated warnings from the Israelis that there would be a response. And now Egypt is sealing its border with the Gaza strip and opening fire on Palestinians seeking refuge.

Why do Israeli-Egyptian relations suddenly seem warmer than they've been at any time since Anwar Sadat was shot? One word: Iran. Mubarak now sees Iranian dominence of the Middle East as the primary threat to Egyptian interests. "Iran wants to devour the Arab world," Mubarak has quite astutely observed. Hamas, of course, is backed by Iran. That Mubarak is now willing to ally his government with the Jewish state is huge news, and if he can bring other Arab leaders along with him could represent a sea-change in the dynamics of Middle East geopolitics.

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WendyG| 12.28.08 @ 7:30PM

The enemy of my enemy is my friend...

Obviously Israel felt it had to move before Obama took office. Though Obama via Axelrod was supportive of Israel in this offensive. Much to the dismay of the leftwingnuts, I am pleased to note.

ruth| 12.28.08 @ 10:04PM

First thing I thought, too, Wendy. Get it done before Obomber takes office.

Gazinya| 12.29.08 @ 9:13AM

I'm getting more than a little tired of the news reports about the puuurrrr victims of the Isreal response to terror. It has been more than clear that Arabs don't put as high a price on the lives of their own people. Isreal has warned everyone that if the rockets from the Arabs don't stop, then Isreal will stop them. Now Egypt and the rest of the Arab world are saying they don't want these 'Palistinians' in their country. It has been this way for sixty years. Isreal has gone all over the world to gather Jews to Isreal . The Arabs have kicked out, from their land, other Arabs so the world would feel sorry for them.

It is the Islamists who are the killer of innocents not the Isrealies.

WendyG| 12.29.08 @ 9:17AM

So true Gazinya. The Egyptians and Jordanians in particular have often worked together in efforts like this, sometimes out in the open, sometimes back via channels. Both were hostile in fact, to Arafat.