Beware those bearing gifts.
It costs nothing for Egypt to float this kind of "sincere" BS.
What better insurance policy than this to keep finding that $ billion check in the mailbox from the US.
A number of factors could contribute. But perhaps the main one is the economic factor, the reason why Saadat made peace with Israel in the first place. Egypt is poverty stricken. The USA deals out the money, and this is an easy goodwill gesture to the USA though what many countries in the Middle East see as its proxy, Israel.
The second reason is just a facilitator, that the nuisance, Arafat, is now safely out of the way for all time and Israeli Arab relationships are in a quiet place at the moment
I wholeheartedly agree, CriticalJ.
This is part of a long-term effort by Egypt to lull Israel to sleep again, as it did in 1972-1973, prior to the YK / October 6th war. In addition to "prisoner exchanges" and other steps toward improving relations with Israel (without, however, major increases in trade; one doesn't go to war with trading partners), Egypt will use various pretexts -- such as terror bombings and tunnels, which have their origin on Egyptian soil and in Saudi money -- to move more and more troops and equipment toward the border with Israel. There will be additional "accidental" incursions into Israeli territory. Syria and Egypt will collude (already are) and Syria has already shifted the bulk of its force in Lebanon nearer the border.
another version same story:
Israel, Egypt Swap Prisoners in Sign of Warmer Ties
Reuters ^ | 12-5-04 | Dan Williams
Posted on 12/05/2004 6:56:18 AM PST by Pharmboy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1294812/posts
related:
Israel, Egypt reach border security deal
Jerusalem Post ^ | 12-01-4 | HERB KEINON
Posted on 12/01/2004 5:37:23 AM PST by SJackson
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1291861/posts
Egyptian Terror Cell Stopped [also pics of two of its members]
Israel National News ^ | 18:22 Sep 12, '04 / 26 Elul 5764
Posted on 09/12/2004 12:59:52 PM PDT by yonif
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1214028/posts
IDF tank said to have mistakenly killed 3 Egyptian soldiers
Haaretz ^ | November 18, 2004
Posted on 11/17/2004 10:00:44 PM PST by yonif
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1282685/posts
Israeli tank mistakenly kills 3 Egyptian soldiers at border
China View ^ | 2004-11-18 17:43:08 | China View
Posted on 11/18/2004 3:02:55 AM PST by newzjunkey
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1282782/posts
Egypt demands 'full and immediate' probe into killings
Jerusalem Post ^ | 11/18/4 | MARGOT DUDKEVITCH AND HERB KEINON
Posted on 11/18/2004 10:25:00 AM PST by SmithL
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1283095/posts
[I'm too lazy to look for the topic(s) regarding those Sinai hotel bombings]
Iraq's weapons of mass destruction in Lebanon?
WorldNetDaily/Geostrategy Direct ^ | Aug. 15, 2003 | WND
Posted on 08/15/2003 9:21:20 PM PDT by FairOpinion
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/965072/posts
Report: U.S suspects Iraqi WMD in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley
Drudge via World Tribune ^ | Monday, August 25, 2003
Posted on 08/25/2003 12:12:28 PM PDT by RoughDobermann
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/970152/posts
Over a year ago, MK Elon presented Egypt with a plan. In the plan, Egypt would lease parts of the Sinai to a Palestinian state and connect it to Gaza. Israel would connect the WB to Gaza with direct rail and road. This would enable products from the ME (i.e. Yemen, Saudi, Jordan, Iraq etc.) to be transported easily to Europe (and vice versa), bypassing the Suez which is overstrained anyway, and ending the practice of shipping around the horn of Africa which is longer and costlier.
I think maybe Mubarak is realizing how much his country has missed over the years economically by making things so cold. Like King Hussein of Jordan, perhaps he wants to install a new attitude before he dies and hands power to his son. It's a way of protecting his son - if Mubarak makes the peace warmer his son won't take any blame for it. Plus, it's good for Egypt and the whole ME - and will make Egypt's case as the defacto head of the Arab League again.