New realities appear to be a daily occurrence regarding Israel, Egypt and the long-standing peace agreement between the two countries. Israel has given the okay permitting Egypt’s military to bring two battalions into Sinai as government forces continue to combat terrorists in Sinai. This is in addition to armored and aerial units.

The area was demilitarized for many years, since the signing of the Camp David Agreement, but with the fall of President Hosni Mubarak the relationship between the countries has changed dramatically. For Israel, Jerusalem is willing to go out on a limb for as long as Egypt appears genuine in its effort to halt the advance of terrorists and total anarchy. While a militarized Sinai is a most unwanted reality, it is preferred over Israel having to act militarily to address the situation. Least desirable of the scenarios is nonfeasance leading to a formidable terror base along Israel’s border in Sinai.

Fighting in Egypt appears to be escalating, cause for concern, with many wondering if the unrests in that country will reach the level of the Syrian civil war. Last week, for a first time since the June 1967 Six Day War; an Egyptian military chopper flew over Hamas-controlled Gaza, marking yet another new reality. PA (Palestinian Authority) sources reported that the chopper flew over the Khan Yunis area, at a low altitude in part of Egypt’s effort to crack down on smuggling tunnels in Rafiach and elsewhere.

While Israel and Egypt confirmed the chopper’s one-hour reconnaissance flight over Gaza, it was chalked up to a navigational error.

For Israel, it is clear that on its border with Egypt in Sinai and Syria in the Golan Heights, military commanders are willing to tolerate a great deal rather than declare a renewed conflict that could easily escalate to regional warfare. While 25 mortar shells were fired into the N. Golan Heights on motzei Tisha B’Av, Israel opted to chalk that up to stray fire in the Syria civil war, filing a complaint with the UN and issuing a standard warning that the IDF will not tolerate spillover from the civil war.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)