Israel fears Egyptian arms fell into ‘hostile hands’

Israeli strategists have expressed concern about the expansion of the Egyptian military arsenal being carried out by the current Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Assabeel newspaper reported yesterday.

Two senior researchers at the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) said that the large Egyptian armament plan was laid down and started during the reign of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

According to a paper prepared by two Israeli researchers, including General Yiftah Shapir, the head of the INSS Middle East Military Balance project, Israelis fear that Al-Sisi’s reign could end anytime and control may be handed to someone similar to his predecessor.

The paper reiterated the “strategic alliance” between Israel and Al-Sisi, noting it is based on “common partnership in fighting extremist sides,” but warned that Al-Sisi’s legitimacy “is fading”.

Regarding the Israeli air force, the paper said it is the strongest in the region, but also warned that Egyptian eagerness to get new fighters and aerial systems threatens the “continuity of Israeli arsenal to remain the most qualitative.”

Meanwhile, the paper cited the new Egyptian armament plan as a future threat to Israel which might be unable to act against Egypt, noting that Antey-2500 – a long-range air defence missile system which Egypt has already obtained – threatens the margin of Israeli “qualitative superiority”.

It is worth mentioning that Israeli right wing parties called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to force Al-Sisi to sign an obligation that he would withdraw the Egyptian army from Sinai as soon as it got rid of extremists, ahead of his possible demise.