Egypt would respond aggressively to any potential Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli intelligence assessment said, according to Haaretz newspaper's website.
The annual report, prepared by the Israel Foreign Affairs Ministry's Information Services, was presented a few weeks ago to the security cabinet ministers, the Israeli newspaper said.
The paper quoted the report as saying that last year's attack on the Israeli Embassy in Cairo demonstrates that the Egyptian “street” has succeeded in forcing its opinions on the military leadership.
“[Egypt’s] Supreme Military Council is aware of the benefits of the peace agreement, but even there, there are some elements that are dissatisfied with parts of the agreement,” the report says.
One of the first things the new Egyptian government will do after it takes office will be to change the security appendix to the peace agreement to allow Egypt to increase its military presence in the Sinai Peninsula, it says.
“The change of government in Egypt is also expected to limit Israel’s freedom of movement in Gaza,” according to the report.
According to the intelligence assessments, the continued stalemate in the peace process with Palestinians could push Palestinian leadership and people in the West Bank to escalate violence against Israel.
“On the ground, at this point, neither the Palestinian leadership nor public opinion seems to want a violent escalation with Israel,” the report states. “Still, the continuing freeze of the diplomatic process, combined with any drastic Israeli moves in the military and/or economic realm and the continuing stormy situation in the Middle East, could bring about a change in this approach.”
