Egypt, Israel, and Hamas All Turn on ISIS in the Sinai

[Valin]

Via Meadia:

May 3 2016

 

 

The ISIS branch in the Sinai Peninsula has had a run of luck recently, and that’s inspired unlikely cooperation against it. The Washington Post reports:

 

(Snip)

 

Israeli-Egyptian cooperation is nothing new; although it’s underreported, it is, as we’ve written before, one of the most important dynamics for understanding the Middle East today. For years, Egyptian and Israeli security forces have cooperated to keep a lid on Gaza and on other regional security issues.

 

What is new, and rare, is to see Hamas coordinating with the other two powers. Egypt perhaps even more than Israel hates and fears this armed branch of the Islamic Brotherhood, viewing it as a mortal threat to the regime. The Post is quick to note that the Egyptians and Israelis suspect Hamas of having some friendly dealings with ISIS in the Sinai, despite a two year old video in which the latter formally denounced the former, and it appears in this case some pressure was applied to get Hamas to cooperate: this is not a Hollywood buddy movie in which unlikely partners team up to take down the real bad guy. Nevertheless, Hamas has agreed to shut and man the border.

 

Lurking in the background of all this are signs of the trouble that Egypt has had containing ISIS so far. Though the Egyptian government boast of kill counts and similar anti-terror metrics, but both the Post account and older stories we’ve been following indicate the group has been and remains a potent source of trouble. It’s yet another unresolved problem for a crucial state that right now faces a host of them, from its security situation to its economy.