Israel worried economic, social unrest could topple Sisi regime

Israeli and American officials are worried that the Egyptian government could collapse if the severe economic crisis facing the country continues, the security correspondent for Israel’s top-selling daily, Yedioth Ahronoth, has said.

Alex Fishman said on Tuesday the political stability of the regime of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was threatened by ongoing economic problems that have plagued the country since the 2011 popular uprising.

"In talks recently held between senior Israeli and American officials, concerns were raised over the stability of the Egyptian regime, with the two allies agreeing that in the absence of any fundamental improvement in the Egyptian economy, social unrest could precipitate the pouring of Muslim Brotherhood forces into the streets to undermine the rule of General al-Sisi," Fishman said.

"Similarly, heads of government in Egypt view the economic crisis as a major strategic threat to their country."

He added that Israel was preparing for a series of large-scale joint projects with Egypt and would assist the government in the fields of solar energy, electricity production, agriculture, irrigation and gas.

Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, however, the deal has been unpopular with many Egyptians, who have long called for it to be rescinded.

But under the presidency of Sisi, Israel has emerged as a close ally to Cairo.

Last week, Sisi defended what he described as "tough but unavoidable" reforms ahead of a $12-billion International Monetary Fund loan to revive his country's ailing economy.

Egyptian security forces have already begun to clamp down on plans for mass anti-government demonstrations dubbed 'revolution of the poor' set to take place on November 11.

Egypt has recently witnessed shortages of staples such as rice, sugar and oil – due to a shortage of dollars in the country and the plunging black market value of the Egyptian pound.

Last week, a video of an enraged tuk-tuk driver unloading on the state of Egypt's flagging economy went viral.

Filmed in the crowded lanes of a working class Cairo neighbourhood, the video shows the driver, surrounded by crowds, slamming the government for spending money on pomp at recent state ceremonies while the poor suffer.