Washington — A former U.S. official who now works with a think tank affiliated with the Israel lobby in America warned that any future changes in Egypt could pose a direct threat to Israel's security, especially in the Sinai Peninsula, after the escalation of violence there led to an increase in the number and composition of Egyptian military forces, in a way that was not allowed in the security provisions of the 1979 Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement.

David Schenker, director of the Arab Policy Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the think tank of the Committee on U.S.-Israel Relations (AIPAC), said in a recent analysis of the institute's analysis that there was unprecedented military cooperation between Cairo and Israel in Sinai, including Israeli air support for Egyptian operations.

At the same time, however, he warned that this rapprochement made Israel allow the entry of Egyptian armed military forces in Sinai, which he considered a violation of the terms of the Camp David Peace Agreement between Egypt and Israel signed by former President Anwar Sadat, which clearly prohibits the freedom of movement of the Egyptian army in Sinai, except within very narrow limits, with light weapons and only with prior Israeli approval.

Schenker, who previously served as an assistant secretary of defense, stressed that cooperation between Egypt and Israel contributed to mutual consent to commit serious violations of the peace treaty concluded between them on March 26, 1979, following the 1978 Camp David Accords, or more precisely, the treaty's security annex that limits military deployment in Sinai.

"Israel has allowed Egypt to bring a flood of troops and heavy equipment into Sinai, far beyond the treaty's restrictions."

It is not known why Schenker warned of the Egyptian military presence in Sinai at this particular time, despite the clear rapprochement between Israel and the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, but he hinted at fears that neither Israel nor America would be able to change the Egyptian military presence in the event of political changes in Egypt.

He cited the unexpected change in Egypt in 2011 during the Arab Spring, stressing that it remains a major concern among the Zionist lobby in America, which failed to predict at the time despite its dedication to the enormous potential to monitor the situation in the Arab region and in Egypt in particular, which has the largest population and the largest military power.

"It has only been a decade since the Egyptian revolution brought in an openly Islamist president who is hostile to Israel," Schenker warned, referring to former President Mohamed Morsi.

Schenker added that what brought Israel and Egypt militarily closer to this remarkable extent was participation in the fight against Islamic State in Sinai as well as the reduction of the role of the resistance in Gaza.

"Now that ISIS appears to be under control, it will become increasingly difficult to return to the restrictions imposed by the treaty, foremost among which is the return of large Egyptian forces to the West Bank of the Suez Canal," he said.

The Egyptian army pushed large numbers of troops and armored vehicles into Sinai to confront ISIS (social media)

Underground fortified cellar

However, the former US official, known for his Zionist tendencies, listed some features of the Egyptian military presence, which began to worry the circles of the Zionist lobby in Israel.

He revealed that Egypt has established a command headquarters in Sinai for the Second and Third Armies, as well as a special headquarters for the Unified Command of the East Canal Region, which manages counterterrorism operations in the Sinai Peninsula.

According to Egyptian reports, this complex in Jabal um Khashab is equipped with an operations center located in a fortified basement 89 feet underground, in addition to the Egyptian army building a large naval facility in eastern Port Said inside Sinai.

Schenker also warned of U.S. signs of a declining role in Sinai, where the Pentagon regularly offers initiatives to downsize the 452-strong U.S. contingent of the 1154,<>-strong Multinational Force. American unity is the backbone of this force.

According to the terms of the agreement, in which the security terms were not disclosed in Egypt, the security annex divides the Sinai Peninsula into 3 zones, stipulating, among other things, that Egypt can deploy only one mechanized infantry division with up to 22,230 troops, 480 tanks and <> armored personnel vehicles in Area A, which is closest to the Suez Canal.

Only the presence of border guards and civilian police is permitted in Areas B and C, respectively, which are closest to Israel.