After the Nile was dammed, Egypt has managed to sustain agriculture to significant levels. It is far, far from a “desolate wilderness”.
Not my fault that you don’t understand the context. But given your liberal outlook, not surprising.
Dear Jimmie,
Egypt is a net importer of food. That is why they sell natural gas to Israel, in order to get western currency to buy food.
That is why a protracted war with Israel would be stupid on their part — starvation.