Al-Jazeera, Qatar, January 9
A tape published by the New York Times last month revealed Egypt’s tacit acceptance of Trump’s Jerusalem declaration. In the recording, Captain Ashraf al-Kholi, a senior Egyptian Intelligence officer, is heard promoting Trump’s decision and suggesting that the Palestinians make due with Ramallah as their capital. Have no doubt: this tape was not leaked accidentally. In fact, I would bet that it was released to the public by none other than Egypt’s president. Why? Because Abd al-Fatah al-Sisi has become disinterested in the opinions of Egyptians, for whom he no longer cares. Sisi’s strategy is very simple and straightforward: namely, to strengthen his regime by gaining as much international support as possible, especially from President Trump. To do so, he has already handed over two Egyptian islands to the Saudis; made major concessions on territorial disputes with Sudan; and, now, by fully embracing the American stance on Jerusalem. By leaking these reports Sisi is attempting to prove to his patron, President Trump, that he is a loyal follower of America. Indeed, he is so committed to aligning Cairo with Washington that he isn’t even afraid of making his positions known to the public. If these were normal times perhaps Sisi’s strategy would have worked. But his actions come when the American president is under heavier fire than ever before. Trump is facing a federal investigation into his team’s alleged collusion with Russian officials during the presidential race. Furthermore, a book describing Trump’s misdeeds during his first year in office has just been published, shedding light on the embarrassing manner in which he runs the White House. Finally, the United States is becoming increasingly embroiled in the North Korean mess. Overall, this leaves very little room in Trump’s agenda for Egypt’s interests and concerns. Sisi is playing with fire and he will be burned when he least expects it. – Wael Kandil