Wednesday, August 31, 2011

In new Egypt, foreign policy not just for diplomats



A GOOD PIECE

Al-Masry Al-Youm

"...Egyptians long unable to display their hostility to Egypt's perceived passive and often complacent ties with Israel under former president Hosni Mubarak were showing they were no longer afraid to vent their frustration in public.

The generals ruling Egypt since Mubarak's overthrow in February are faced with a dilemma to pursue a more assertive policy towards Israel in line with public opinion, while still protecting the integrity of a peace treaty that gives them billions of dollars in US aid.....

The protests have dwindled and the Israeli flag flies again over the embassy on a sidestreet near the Nile's western bank.

But critics say Egypt's government came out looking weak from the worst crisis with its neighbor since Mubarak's overthrow because it flip-flopped on a threat to recall its ambassador from Tel Aviv.....

In Mubarak's Egypt, ties with Israel were often treated as a security concern with criticism kept under a tight lid but this latest episode points that public opinion is here to stay and is likely to play a role that was previously sidelined....

Whether the public has any ability to change the rules of the game and not just complicate the picture for decision-makers will depend on how well and fast they organise.

"Eventually, not immediately, public opinion could be a game-changer if it is sustained and if it takes shape in some form of an institutionalized way," Fishere added. "That would be a more democratic regime.""

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