Israel to boost security on Egypt border

The Israeli military is set to deploy its forces to the border in case of a revolution in Egypt

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/162673.html

A senior Israeli commander says the military will have to boost security along the Egyptian border should the uprising lead to a regime change in the North African country.

“If a hostile regime takes over in Egypt, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will need to restructure itself and would be pushed to the limit in its ability to deploy adequate resources on the various fronts, The Jerusalem Post quoted the official as speaking on condition of anonymity.

“A change in power could change what happens on the border as well,” the Israeli official went on to say.

Israeli military commanders gathered to discuss possible scenarios that could happen in Egypt in the wake of an uprising against the three-decade rule of President Hosni Mubarak, the report said on Saturday.

The Israeli commanders met at Southern Command headquarters in Beersheba, as well as at the Kirya military headquarters, and the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv.

According to the report, the military is set to restructure its divisions and the air force “to effectively meet the challenge” that it might face in case of a regime change in Egypt.

Mass protests against Mubarak's 30-year rule which started on Tuesday and continued across the country -- despite a government ban on further protests -- have raised speculations of a regime change.

An Israeli minister, however, undermined the uprising on Saturday, saying that Mubarak will “overcome the current wave of demonstrations.”

He argued that the “Arab region” is not currently ready “to go through the democratic process.”

Meanwhile, Arabic newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi reported that Israel's diplomats and their families left Egypt on Friday. Helicopters evacuated the embassy staff to an Egyptian airbase, where they were flown back to Tel Aviv.

Israel is extremely concerned about a possible regime change in Egypt which could endanger a peace treaty that was signed between the two sides in 1979.