Israel Expresses Dismay at Cutback of U.S. Aid to Egypt

[Purveyor]

Source: New York Times

By ISABEL KERSHNER
Published: October 9, 2013 99 Comments

JERUSALEM — Officials and experts in Israel responded on Wednesday with a mixture of disappointment and alarm to the news that the United States planned to reduce its military aid to Egypt in response to this summer’s brutal crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and the continuing violence it has spawned.

Israel views the aid as part and parcel of its 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, and essential to the maintenance of stability in the region.

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But one Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the delicate diplomacy involved, warned that the implications of punitive cuts in Egypt’s aid could go far beyond the issue of Israeli-Egyptian relations. The United States is playing with fire, he said.

“You cannot disassemble the peace treaty and take out this part or that part,” the official said. “But there are other elements in this conundrum. This is not just about Israel. This is about America’s standing in the Arab world.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/10/world/middleeast/israel-us-egypt.html?_r=0

[Owl]

1. Good grief.

[mahannah]

2. Let Israel contribute to Egypt.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

3. Cut back on all foreign aid, and eliminate it for any country engaged in endless conflicts.

Let them fight their own conflicts.

[warrant46]

8. They can't even support themselves

Much less the rest of the place

[rpannier]

16. I concur

If they're so worried they can give some of that 10 billion dollars in aid to Egypt

[starroute]

4. So the country that has done most to undermine our standing in the Arab world...

... is now suddenly all solicitous?

Something here isn't adding up.

[Steviehh]

6. Yep K & R

[grandpamike1]

5. You know

I am a Jew, and Fuck Israel. I am so tired of this country being twisted by Israel to do it's bidding. All this because Evangelical Christians believe some distorted passage in biblical verse about the end of days and Israel's importance in it. If I offend anyone with this statement, so be it, as I am not a follower or adherent to ANY religious dogma, as others.

[jessie04]

9. "Fuck Israel" ??... Hmm...interesting.

Maybe you want to rephrase that ?

[leftynyc]

22. You think President Obama

has been supportive of Israel because of evangelicals? Seriously?

[BainsBane]

7. That is THE reason for the aid

And why I was surprised the administration stopped it. That aid is payment for maintaining peace with Israel.

[Comrade Grumpy]

11. Let the Saudis pay for it; they've already promised to:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_world_/2013/10/09/u_s_to_reduce_military_aid_to_egypt_but_how_much_will_it_matter.html

"Yes, U.S. financial support is symbolically important to Egypt: it has historically received the second most U.S. aid after Israel, though Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq now receive more on a year-to-year basis. But the U.S. has already been eclipsed as the Egyptian government’s primary patron, a fact underlined by Interim President Adly Mansour’s just concluded trip to Saudi Arabia.

"Saudi Arabia has already pledged $5 billion in grants and loans to Egypt’s government, with the United Arab Emirates kicking in $3 billion. Saudi Arabia has also promised to compensate Egypt for any aid Western countries might withdraw as a result of the government’s crackdown on supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood."

[BainsBane]

12. Saudi Arabia has no interest in maintaining Israeli security

The point is not just that Egypt get aid but that they be beholden to the US.

[Comrade Grumpy]

14. Nor do I in paying for it, nor do I see that it makes much sense for us.

The generals don't seem very beholden to the US these days, and public opinion there is pretty hostile. It seems like we managed to piss off just about everybody

[BainsBane]

15. They haven't invaded Israel, have they?

That is the purpose of the aid, not being popular. Egypt was the second largest recipient of US aid for decades for that reason alone. More recently it was the 5th. Foreign aid is allocated for specific geopolitical interests. It has nothing to do with being benevolent or becoming popular.

[rpannier]

17. Lots of countries in the Middle East, western Asia and Africa haven't invaded Israel are you going

to give them all money?

Because if you are, you could start with Iran

[BainsBane]

18. Egypt and Israel went to war

Then signed a treaty some years after the end of the Six day War. The US has extended aid since Sadat signed the treaty. As a result of signing that treaty, Sadat was assassinated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt%E2%80%93Israel_Peace_Treaty Iran doesn't border Israel.

I'm not saying I love giving aid to Egypt, but I like it better than sending US forces to protect Israel. The US is committed to defending the state of Israel for reasons due to US domestic pressure and the US's own geopolitical interests. This is the context for Israel's dismay over the cessation of aid.

[rpannier]

21. Okay. Fair enough

[Ghost Dog]

19. You're saying that Israel has a Treaty with U.S. to that effect?

[BainsBane]

20. What are you asking?

Are you questioning that the US gives aid to Egypt in order to maintain peace with Israel?
I thought this was super basic common knowledge? No, foreign aid isn't subject to treaties. The treaty is between Israel and Egypt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt%E2%80%93Israel_Peace_Treaty

[Rebellious Republican]

10. Oh vey!

[fascisthunter]

13. Shut up Isreal

thank you