Egypt’s relationship with Palestine has been historically one of the more difficult amongst the Arab nations due to their peace treaty and political support for Israel. The Presidency of Mubarak saw a continuation of the policy established by his predecessor, President Anwar Sadat, of peaceful co-operation with the Israeli government. For many in Palestine this had been seen as Egypt’s betrayal of a fellow Arab, Islamic nation. However with a new government in Egypt; a government of the Muslim Brotherhood, it is widely believe that Palestine’s position in the Middle East may change. Hamas, who rule the Gaza strip, are seen as potentially the biggest benefactors of the new Egyptian government, as Hamas itself is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood and has maintained strong historical ties with the Palestinian organization.
In Gaza the news of President Mursi’s election was met with great support with many officials and ordinary people believing that Mursi will open the borders for trade between Gaza and Egypt and that, because of his pro-Islamic stance will take a harder line against Israel with regards to their treatment over Palestine.
This may indeed happen. The Muslim Brotherhood are supporters of Hamas and are attempting to guide Hamas from being seen as a terrorist, military organization, fighting a war of freedom against Israeli control and occupation, to a fully operational political party that can effectively deal with many of the social and economic problems that affect the region, including high levels of poverty and unemployment. If Mursi’s government can achieve a change in the political outlook of Hamas then Gaza will be far better placed to deal with Israel and, with the support of Egypt, they could achieve far more in diplomatic talks.
However Gaza’s dream of a new relationship between Palestine and Egypt faces many problems, both from within Egypt and from international political pressure, that does not want to see an escalation in Middle East tensions. Within Egypt the limitations of the new government are profound and will likely hamper any further development in Egyptian-Gaza relations. The new President will have to fight with the ruling army officials for control within government and thus control over foreign policy, meaning that improved relations and agreements with Gaza may take longer than many assume. Limitations in Egypt are also seen in society with the new regime looking to solve its own problems in both the economy and society first, before dealing with its international position in the Middle East. Only once it is stable can it use its political power to influence the wider Middle East region.
But limitations are not just on the Egyptian side; in Palestine itself, the political situation may undo any potential development. For many in Hamas, the Islamic regimes in Turkey and Egypt are key to their future success but it could propel many in the political party towards a more radical stance on Islamic politics in the belief that they have support across the region. However a move towards radicalism is heavily opposed by many in Egypt who believe that instead Hamas should focus on becoming a more moderate party who are prepared to work alongside the authorities in the West Bank and Israel.
Ultimately those observing the situation believe that Gaza’s politics could be their biggest obstacle to development and trade with Egypt. If a more moderate stance is not adopted by Hamas, Egypt will be reluctant to invest and help develop the nation, instead seeking to maintain its relationship with Israel and not further isolate itself from large global players, such as the USA. However if Hamas and Gaza can achieve a more stable and politically strong regime then the potential to work with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is huge, possibly leading to a new era in Palestinian politics.
A Little View of the World 