A warning "This evening we find ourselves with massive Egyptian forces deployed literally on our border."

From Will at The Other News:

Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 12 August 2012 No. I am not writing this to brag. Today, as Egyptian President Morsy got rid of the entire leadership of the Egyptian military I could most certainly be proud to note that I am one of the very few who consistently warned from day one that Morsy the chess player would move faster than all the predictions. And one of the few that didn’t embrace the narrative that Morsy was stuck honoring for the foreseeable future a delicate balance with the leaders of the Egyptian military. But I am not writing this note to brag. I am writing it to warn. For years the Egyptians have been trying to erode the Sinai force restrictions set in the peace treaty they signed with Israel. Force restrictions that were a necessary condition for Israel agreeing to restore the Sinai to Egyptian control. The Egyptians see the force restrictions as impinging on their sovereignty. We always considered the force restrictions as critical for the Jewish State’s national security and, frankly speaking, with the Moslem Brotherhood leading Egypt, we need the force restrictions more than ever. This evening we find ourselves with massive Egyptian forces deployed literally on our border. And as Arab affairs expert Ehud Yaari just noted on the Channel Two Television Evening News broadcast, we now have no idea if those tanks, attack helicopters, mobile artillery pieces, etc. are going to actually be moved back in a few days. These next days – possibly hours – may be critical. This is the time for the establishment of a very clear timetable for when this equipment is going to be removed from the area. One that leaves nothing open to interpretation. One that provides for this equipment to be removed from the area regardless of the outcome of the current operation. I want to repeat now something that to my utter shock I have found that otherwise ostensibly knowledgeable Israelis are not aware of: under the treaty, the Egyptians can put as many cops as it wants near the border. This isn’t my interpretation. The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed this. Even Mohamed Bassiouny, Egypt's former ambassador to Israel from 1986 to 2000 told Al-Masry Al-Youm almost a year ago (25/08/2011) “the treaty allows Egypt to put any number of police personnel in this section.” And the quality and training of those cops is at the discretion of Egypt. To repeat: Egypt can have tanks, attack helicopters, etc. in the area for a few days, but beyond that they are going to have to make do with forces in police uniforms carrying the kinds of weapons that police can bear. And given that Egypt can take its most elite commando units and do the paperwork to make them police and deploy them in the border area they can most definitely get the job done – if they want – and still honor the treaty. This is not the time for wishful thinking. This is not the time to wait and see how things progress. The United States witnessed the signing of the treaty. They most certainly should be brought up to speed regarding our concerns as we also communicate them directly with Egypt. President Putin should also be aware. Countries with a vested interest in the stability of the neighborhood such as our Saudi neighbors and the Gulf states who are now providing critical financial support for Egypt should also know of our concerns. Better to douse the fire when it is still small than wait for the conflagration. We simply can’t afford to play tic-tac-toe with this Egyptian chess player. Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)

IDF Gaza Response Authorized

Israeli cabinet approves new security measures in light of latest border incidents:

With the US breathing heavily down Israel's neck to ease up on the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the security cabinet convened Wednesday and discussed ways to allow more goods and material into the area without endangering Israel's security.

This discussion was part of a larger conversation on the situation in the Gaza Strip, including the foiled terrorist attack near the Karni crossing earlier this week, and the fate of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit.

Following the meeting, a statement was issued that read, "Israel views Hamas responsible for all aggressive actions against Israel coming from the Gaza Strip. The cabinet directed the IDF to respond to all aggressive actions against Israel from Gaza."

Regarding Schalit, the security cabinet - in its first announcement on him since Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu appointed Hagai Hadas two weeks ago as his envoy on the matter - issued a statement saying the "relevant authorities" have been directed to do everything to bring about his release.

Including Schalit in this statement seems a strong signal that negotiations for a prisoner swap, dormant since former premier Ehud Olmert's last ditch effort to hammer out a deal in his final days of office, may once again be in the offing.

Regarding the Gaza border crossings, this - along with the settlement construction and two-state issue - was one of three major sticking points between Israel and the US during Netanyahu's visit to Washington last month. US officials made clear to Netanyahu that they were unhappy with what they considered to be "foot-dragging" on the opening of the crossings into Gaza, and the reconstruction of the area, and wanted to see more movement on the issue.

The issue was also raised by US envoy George Mitchell in his meetings in Jerusalem on Tuesday. The US has made clear it wanted to see more goods and materials allowed into Gaza to enable reconstruction.

Nevertheless, defense officials continue opposing bringing concrete and steel into the Gaza Strip, arguing that it would be used not only to reconstruct buildings, but also to construct arms smuggling tunnels and rebuild Hamas' rocket building capacity.

US, UN and European efforts to put together a mechanism that would enable goods and material into the Gaza Strip without strengthening Hamas have so far been unsuccessful.

Defense Minster Ehud Barak, meanwhile, continues to maintain that there is no humanitarian crisis inside the Gaza Strip. At a cabinet meeting two weeks ago he said that more material was entering Gaza now than was the case during the cease-fire that existed there last year.

Netanyahu said at that meeting that Israel was "continuously asked to make things easier for the population in Gaza, to let in materials and equipment, but we have security interests there." He said that a balance needed to be found between "making things easier for the population and making it harder for Hamas to gain more weapons."

That sentiment was reflected in the statement issued after Wednesday's meeting. "The security cabinet," the statement read, "was studying additional ways to make things easier for the Palestinian population inside the Gaza Strip, while maintaining Israel's security interests.