🇪🇬🇮🇱Egypt and its relationship with Israel

In the Nile Valley region, Israel was defined as the greatest threat to the security and stability of their country. This rate is significantly higher than the rate of those who cited the United States (6%) or Ethiopia (5%) as the main threat.Beyond the direct threat to Egypt, there is almost complete agreement by 84% of the Arab public that Israel's policy threatens the security and stability of the entire Arab region.The perception of Israel as a threat stems from a number of deep-seated factors, primarily the perception of Israel as a colonialist, racist, and expansionist state, and the continued occupation of Palestinian territories. Public opposition to Israel is not based largely on religious or cultural reasons, but rather on the perception of Israel as a hostile entity that treats Arabs with racism, denies Palestinian rights, and undermines regional stability.Moreover, 80% of the Arab public sees the Palestinian issue as a “collective Arab issue” and not just a local Palestinian problem. Security events, such as the Israeli wars in Gaza and Lebanon, directly affect the Egyptian and Arab publics, with 87% of respondents reporting that they experience psychological stress as a result of these wars.This ingrained threat perception has significant implications for the legitimacy of Egyptian foreign policy. It turns any concession or rapprochement by the Egyptian government with Israel into a move that carries enormous internal political risk. As a result, the relationship between Egypt and Israel – despite the peace agreements – is perceived by the public as a “strategic necessity” based on security and economic constraints, rather than as “social peace” or genuine public acceptance of Israel.