Egypt played a crucial role in achieving a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, after an 11-day conflict.
It is true that USA asked the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to cease hostilities, and to do so urgently. Although Netanyahu publicly rejected the «suggestions,» he did in fact reduce the pace of attacks on Gaza, eventually stopping them altogether.
It is also true that Tayyip Erdogan tried to exploit the crisis and reap benefits by exploiting his access to the Palestinians, while imagining that he could upgrade his image as a defender of Muslims.
Nevertheless, Cairo took the leading role in the affair.
The truce allowed Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to add another success to the strategy he has been promoting internationally for some time., that is, in renewing his diplomatic status, appearing as the privileged interlocutor for crisis management in the wider Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean region.
This is the Egypt's third intervention following the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in 2005 and Hamas's seizure of power in the Gaza Strip in 2007.
Biden's US wants dialogue between regional players because it leads to stability, which for Washington is the central point for managing the region's problems.
Ankara could not guarantee these elements; quite the contrary, in fact.
And without stability, the US can't pull back from the region and refocus its efforts on other parts of the world.
The final step in the negotiations between Israel and Palestine was taken after telephone communication between Biden-Sisi. The US president publicly acknowledged the important role played by Egypt in the case.
In the background, the secret services played their part, since the Egyptian GIS maintains open channels of communication with both Hamas, as well as with Mossad.
A successful ceasefire will allow Cairo to upgrade its credibility vis-à-vis the US, which bases part of its foreign policy on human rights, a black mark on the Sisi regime.
Egypt achieved a significant victory against Turkey, amid complete absence of the EU and inertia the countries that had signed the Abraham Accords with Israel, namely United Arab Emirates and of Bahrain.
The achievement of the truce helps Israel and Egypt remain key pillars of the geopolitical system that aims to contain Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Sisi may now appear as a peacemaker, but also as a supporter of the Palestinian cause.. Within Egypt, the government's rhetoric against Israel was more intense than in the past, in order to counterbalance that of other regional players. Sisi pledged $500 million in aid for the reconstruction of Gaza and the opening of the Rafah crossing to transport wounded people to Egyptian hospitals.
Hamas's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood have always caused tension with Cairo. Egyptian mediation, the ceasefire, and oversight of its implementation have prevented the complete collapse of Gaza, a development that could have pushed it further under Hamas control.
In contrast to all this, the Tayyip Erdoğan, he had nothing to offer but a personal game of promoting himself as an international player. Once again, he underestimated Israel and failed to take into account the objectives of US foreign policy in the region.
As for Greece, these developments were positive.
Given these facts, the outcome of the Erdogan-Sisi contest was normal and expected. Only the extent of the score raises questions.
By Vangelis Horafas, director of the geopolitical website Geoeurope.org
