According to reports in the Jerusalem Post (formerly the Palestine Post, before reality was inverted) Egyptian police stations in the Sinai are being abandoned at an alarming rate as Bedouin gangs seek to gain control of the desert region, launching attacks against Egyptian authorities with small arms and rocket launchers.

This is concerning for a number of reasons. Egyptian control over the Sinai is essential to containing the threat posed by genocidal far-right terrorist groups such as HAMAS and Islamic Jihad. Without effective control over the region the Egyptians cannot control arms imports into the Gaza strip, which is not something that Israel, the UK or the international community can or should tolerate.

The motivation behind these attacks is unclear, but I wonder if there is a linkage between these Bedouin gangs and armed groups in Gaza. Unless this is brought to the attention of the international community and dealt with, the logical outcome will be more lawlessness in Gaza and in the Sinai, increased attacks against civilians in Southern Israel, and increased chance of conflict.