Leading article: A new theatre of instability
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.When President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in February, the rejoicing in Egypt was tempered by trepidation elsewhere about the possible implications for regional security. For the best part of 30 years, Mr Mubarak had been seen, in Israel as in Egypt, as the guarantor of the 1979 treaty. Without him, that certainty was gone.
Recent events have shown that such fears were not idle scaremongering. The attacks – claimed by a Palestinian group close to Hamas – that killed eight Israelis in the south of the country last week may be isolated incidents. On the other hand, they strongly suggest that security in the Negev is not what it was.
The sequence of events is confused. Under pressure from Cairo, Israel expressed regret for the death of five Egyptian police. But Israel's response to breaches of its security is always to hit back hard, which risks inflaming existing tensions further. Violence has flared up on the Gaza border, with new Israeli air-strikes and Palestinian rocket attacks; anti-Israel protests have taken place in Cairo.
With the situation in Syria unstable, a new theatre of insecurity in the region is the last development anyone – including Egypt's present military leaders – needs.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments