Egypt tells Hamas: No more Mr. Nice Guy

[Jim Sagle]

By Gamal A. G. Soltan

No more ad hoc arrangements. This is the message Egypt is sending to Hamas and the other relevant parties by setting up a fortified barrier along Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian move marks the end of an era in Egypt’s policy toward the Gaza Strip and Hamas. In 2005, when Israel was getting ready to evacuate Gaza, Egypt demanded that the Israeli redeployment include the border region or “Philadelphi strip” separating Egypt from Gaza. This was the first time since 1967 that Egypt had a direct land link with a Palestinian territory with no Israeli mediation. Egypt sought maximum possible maneuverability in conducting its relations with the narrow Gaza Strip. The arrangements made in 2005 helped enhance Egypt’s role in Palestinian politics.

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The Egyptian strategy reached deadlock when Hamas defied Cairo’s efforts to reconcile with the rival Palestinian factions. Hamas’ ability to balance its commitments toward its radical allies in Tehran and Damascus with the need to avoid alienating its big neighbor came to an end: Egypt chose not to continue the game of running in circles in its relations with Hamas. It was Hamas’ reluctance that provoked Egypt to change course. Hamas’ policy made it look as if it were taking Egypt for granted; Cairo realized the time had come to send Hamas a strong message.

For the past year, Egypt has been determined to put an end to Hamas’ tunnels enterprise. It sought to address the standing issues in Gaza so that it could take its relations with Hamas to the next level. Egypt mediated between Israel and Hamas toward renewal of a ceasefire and an exchange of prisoners. These, along with Palestinian reconciliation talks, were designed to help stabilize the situation in Gaza so that Egypt could improve border security at a low political cost. Cairo sought a successful conclusion of the three mediated tracks of talks so that the situation in Gaza could be normalized until the time came for a final peace deal between the Palestinians and Israel.

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The tight new controls on the Egypt-Gaza border should redirect Hamas toward paying more attention to the Gaza Strip’s border with Israel. It is no coincidence that tension is increasing across Gaza’s Israel border while Egypt is tightening the screws on Hamas. Escalation with Israel is meant to create circumstances not conducive to completion of Egypt’s plan of enhancing its border control.

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