Columnist: Israel must take China-Egypt ties into account — Jerusalem Post
In Egypt, Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Cairo in late August on his first state visit to the country since 2016. In a Jerusalem Post column, Esti Ayalon Kovo writes that the intensification of ties between Beijing and Cairo should be a matter of strategic attention for Israel.
China-Egypt cooperation
According to the author, Xi Jinping arrived in the Egyptian capital after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek. She believes that the itinerary indicates Cairo’s strategic importance for Beijing.
The Egyptian outlet Al-Masry Al-Youm described bilateral relations as entering a new phase. Cooperation in artificial intelligence and energy is expected to expand, Kovo notes.
China and Egypt also recently held joint air exercises. During them, China deployed Shenyang J-16 multirole fighter jets to the African continent for the first time, the author writes.
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Assessment of Israeli policy
Kovo notes that the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, as well as bilateral relations, are important for regional stability despite differences between the countries. In her view, the Israeli government should adopt an approach that takes into account the interests of the United States, Egypt and Israel, and should also seek opportunities to deepen economic and energy ties with Cairo.
The author also considers regular strategic dialogue with Egypt and cooperation to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea necessary amid the threat posed by the Houthis. She criticizes the current Israeli government, arguing that its foreign policy is oriented toward short-term domestic political considerations.
The author’s position
Esti Ayalon Kovo is a former head of Israeli trade and economic missions in China and a Knesset candidate from the B’Yachad party, led by Naftali Bennett. In the column, she calls for the formation of a government with a clear political agenda and experts capable of planning and influencing regional processes.
