NationStates Jolt Archive

It appears relations between Israel and Egypt are steadily getting better. After Egypt let Israeli ambulances into Taba after the terror attacks there, and now this. Lets hope it continues.
http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-13261576,00.html

PRISONER SWAP 'AGREED'

Israel and Egypt have agreed on a prisoner swap in a tangible sign of improved relations between the two countries.

According to reports, six Egyptian students arrested in August and charged with conspiring to kill Israeli soldiers will be freed.


In return Israeli businessman Azzam Azzam will reportedly be released after being sentenced to 15 years in 1997 for spying.

Israel has denied he is a spy and has been pressing for his release since then.

An exchange of prisoners would represent the most vivid sign of improved relations since Egypt withdrew its ambassador in 2000 after the outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada.

Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979.

Egypt is currently sounding unusually optimistic about working with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to secure a broader Middle East peace.

Israeli authorities arrested the Egyptian students near the desert border between the two countries for crossing into Israel illegally, armed with an airgun and 14 knives.

Prosecutors said the students had plotted to kidnap Israeli soldiers to use as bargaining chips for Palestinian prisoners, but their parents said they had travelled to Israel to find work.

What do you all think? Is it a starting point for complete peace in the Middle East?

Nope. Egypt is still the biggest potential enemy Israel have. What is signed on paper does not mean that if "President" Mubarak were to be assassinated and his son did not take power like he is being groomed to, the possibility of Egypt turning on Israel is very much a possibility.

The Egyptian people are very much against Israel, and this is reflected in TV/radio/newspapers etc...

This is probably one of the reasons they get almost as much military aid as Israel does from the US. After all it would cost a whole hell of a lot more if there was a war.

The Sinai is largely reliable on money that Israeli tourism brings in, hence the cooperation. (IMO)

Fair point,
however Egypt does crack down very hard on terrorism. I must confess, I don't know anything about his son. What is he like?

Nope. Egypt is still the biggest potential enemy Israel have.

try Europe. all my relatives living in Greece go nuts whenever i mention Jews or Israel. then again, Greece is extremely pro-Arab, and has done its fair share in supporting terrorism (at least from an Israeli perspective). But European sentiment is fairly similar on the matter. Israel can count its allies on one hand, and that is not a good sign for them.

Oh I don't know, when those allies include America it isn't so bad. If anyone pissed us off, America would nuke them.

Europe is not so much a threat (IMO). As much as they do not like Israel, I think deep down they fear Islam more than they fear us.
Israel is a small country, however our armed forces are pretty good. And the airforce is pretty much up their with the best. I know that when there is mock war with the US airforce Israel wins, and this goes for German airforce if my memory serves well.
Econiomically is the only way Europe can "defeat" Israel.

This also goes for ground forces. Although we had a bit to catch up to be on a par with US armored devisions, since they use GPS before Israel.
Saying all of this, Israel will never, never fight against the US. Why... because it is like fighting our own country, that goes personally for me and a whole hell of a lot of people in this country. Which IMO is a large reason that we do not want international soldiers to do peace keeping in Gaza, because we know they will be used as shields against our forces.

As for America, I don't think that nukes will ever be used again.