The Egypt-Israel peace treaty, a longstanding pillar of Middle Eastern stability, has provided a crucial, if cold, peace between former adversaries. Yet, this stability is increasingly becoming an illusion.
Under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Egypt faces profound internal fragilities — repression, economic precarity, and a militarized, porous Sinai — that undermine the security the treaty provides for Israel. For Israel, ignoring these vulnerabilities and clinging to the illusion of enduring peace would be a dangerous strategic miscalculation, demanding unwavering vigilance and a clear-eyed assessment of the evolving landscape.
Sisi’s government, in its second decade, maintains power through wholesale repression, systematically detaining and punishing peaceful critics and activists. Arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, and torture are common. Peaceful dissent is criminalized, leading to prosecution and imprisonment. The rule of law has eroded; new laws grant the military sweeping authority and expand military court jurisdiction over civilians, weakening accountability. Political opposition is virtually nonexistent; challengers face systematic targeting and arrests. Civil liberties, including press freedom, are tightly restricted, with journalists frequently being held on unsubstantiated charges. (Read More)
