Speaking to Khabar Online, an analyst of the Middle East, Egypt issues and former director general of the Middle East Department in Iran's Foreign Ministry believes that after the recent 14 explosions in Israelis gas pipelines in Sinai Peninsula [the Egypt-Israel border], the Zionist regime's officials won't enjoy the peace and stability they had during the government of Hosni Mubarak.
The radical assailant’s operation resulted to the death of 16 Egyptian Army officers. The gunmen then decided to infiltrate Israel but were killed by the Zionist regime's air force.
“The operation was seemingly conducted by Al Qaeda. It's a long time that a Salafi group called Jahadyah affiliated to Al Qaeda attempts to achieve a position among Palestinians. They don't have a considerable position in the West Bank, but they have a stronger presence in Gaza Strip. However for several reasons, their position in Sinai is more stable,” he said.
“Actually Al Qaeda took advantage of opportunities provided in the region such as the conflict between the Egyptian security forces and tribes living in Sinai whom were maltreated by the Egyptian . At the moment, Al Qaeda members are influential in Sinai and launch their attacks against Egypt and Israel from there,” Mohammadi explained.
The analyst went on to say that the security officials of Egypt did not inform their president elect Mohamed Morsi: “Although Israel had let the Egyptian intelligence officials to know about Sinai operation, those officials decided to avoid reporting the issue to Morsi. They took their military actions and made the president to face with an accomplished fact. However their decision led to the dismissal of the two top military generals whom were sent to “retirement” by Morsi, as the president reasserted his power.”
“The Israelis also let the Egyptian army to violate the Camp David Accords and move their artillery to the northern part of Sinai. Anyway, it's unlikely that the military forces of Egypt would be able to oppress the insurgents completely. The armed forces would perhaps eliminate or arrest a number of the assailants, but cannot force them out of Sinai,” he said.
“However it was an achievement for Egyptian army to enter the northern part of Sinai, a feat which was not possible during the government of Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak,” Mohammadi added.
On the closure of Rafah tunnels by the Egyptian forces, the analyst said: “The tunnels [which are used by Palestinians for importing foodstuffs and other necessary consumer goods] were closed just temporarily by the Egyptian forces who were responsible for establishing security in Sinai, but they were reopened soon after.”
“In general, I think such attacks by radical assailants have rather targeted the new phase of Egypt's relation with the Palestinians than causing other damages. From the time Mohamed Morsi has taken the presidential office, he has held meetings with Khalid Mash’al, the main leader of Hamas and Ismail Haniyeh, one of the top political leaders of the Palestinian organization. But during the government of Hosni Mubarak, they were not allowed to visit even an official in the Egypt's Foreign Ministry,” he noted.
Mohammadi concluded: “Some hands are involved in representing Gaza as a threat to the security of Egypt and strain the relation between Hamas and the new Egyptian administration. I predict a turbulent future for Sinai. From one hand, the lack of security in the region would serve the interests of Israel to take measures against Egypt and the Palestinians, and from the other, the Egyptian security forces are not powerful enough to oust Al Qaeda gunmen from Sinai.”
