Field Marshal Tantawi's statements on protecting Egypt’s borders raise concern in Tel Aviv

Statements made on Monday by Egyptian Field Marshal, Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, regarding the protection of the Egyptian borders have raised serious concerns in Israel after he asserted that Egypt would “break the legs of anyone who dares to come near to the borders.”
 
In an editorial on Tuesday, Maariv newspaper asked about the entity or the country that Tantawi was referring to when he spoke of protecting Egypt’s borders. It noted that Egyptian relations with neighbouring Arab countries, including Libya and Sudan, are good. As such, it concluded that his statements had been intended at Israel and he was sending it a warning message to coincide with the crisis over the export of gas.

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The newspaper pointed out that Tantawi’s statements certainly came in response to comments made to it by Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, regarding Egypt being a greater threat to Israel than Iran.
 
The newspaper published a full description of the military exercises conducted by the army yesterday, saying that it proved the strength of the Egyptian army, and also showed that Tantawi and the military’s administrators want to keep the army completely away from the political pressure currently prevailing.