As If Israel Didn't Have Enough Problems: Why Picking a Fight with Egypt Is a Strategic Mistake The obsession of some Israeli ministers and politicians with confronting Egypt is not only counterproductive but also fundamentally at odds with Israel's national security interests. Those attempting to portray Egypt as an enemy of Israel should answer a simple question: Do they seriously want Israel to rebuild its Southern Command's military capabilities for a potential confrontation with Egypt? Are they suggesting that Israel should once again prepare for war on its southern front? And with what resources, exactly? Fifty-three years after the last major war between Israel and Egypt, there seems to be a troubling loss of historical memory regarding what relations between the two countries looked like before the historic peace agreement. The peace treaty with Egypt is one of the most important strategic assets Israel possesses. Preserving it is arguably even more important to Israel's national security than expanding the Abraham Accords, including normalization with Saudi Arabia, as significant and desirable as that would be. This does not mean ignoring Egyptian actions that may violate the peace treaty. Any such concerns must be addressed seriously through direct dialogue between Jerusalem and Cairo, with Washington playing an important role when necessary. But Israeli politicians must stop treating Egypt as an adversary, stop making empty threats, and stop fueling tensions that are already dangerously high. Israel has more than enough security challenges. Turning its most important Arab peace partner into another potential front would be an extraordinary strategic mistake. The peace with Egypt should never be taken for granted. It took enormous political courage to achieve it, and preserving it requires strategic responsibility, not political grandstanding. #egypt #israel