BICOM

A report in Haaretz suggests that Israel is encouraging the United States to go ahead with the sale of ten advanced Apache combat helicopters to Egypt, in order to help stabilise the lawless Sinai region.

Since the military ousted former President Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood last summer, the United States has suspended significant elements of its military aid to Egypt. However, Israel is maintaining close coordination with the Egyptian military to combat the violence and lawlessness which has plagued the Sinai Peninsula, which borders both Israel and the Gaza Strip. Haaretz claims that Israeli officials are lobbying Washington on Egypt’s behalf to proceed with the sale of the Apache helicopters. The report says a high-ranking Israeli official explained that the helicopters are crucial to Egypt’s fight against Islamist armed groups in the Sinai and will improve regional security. Israel has allowed Egypt to beef up its forces in the peninsula, which according to the Israel-Egypt peace treaty should be demilitarised.

Islamist groups have attacked Egyptian security positions with regularity during the past several months, eliciting a significant Egyptian army response. In addition, last month four people were killed by a bomb on a tourist bus carrying South Korean pilgrims across the Egyptian border into Israel. Israel itself has also been the target of violence from the Sinai. In January, two rockets were fired on Eilat, an important tourist resort and commercial port.

Islamist violence in Sinai also poses a wider regional and global threat. Pipelines which supply gas to Jordan have been blown up on a number of occasions. Meanwhile, shipping in the Suez Canal was targeted on at least one occasion in 2013.

In a related development, Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip, accused Egypt of “crimes against humanity” yesterday for its continued closure of the Rafah border crossing. Egypt’s military rulers accuse Hamas of collaborating with the Muslim Brotherhood and of directly aiding the Sinai violence by smuggling arms and personnel.