Description
Book SynopsisThe Sinai Peninsula holds a unique strategic and political significance for Egypt and its neighbours. Enclosed by the Suez Canal and bordering Gaza and Israel, Egypt's rugged eastern province has been the cornerstone of the Egyptian-Israeli peace accords, yet its internal politics and security have remained largely under media blackout. While the international press descended on the capital Cairo in January 2011, Sinai's armed rebellion was largely ignored. The regime lost control of the peninsula in a matter of days and since then, unprecendented chaos has reigned. In this crucial analysis, Mohannad Sabry argues that Egypt's shortsighted approach to national security has continually proven to be a failure.
Trade Review"For years now, Sabry has been on the ground in the Sinai, seeing and observing a story that so many others have missed...This is an important and timely book filled with field research and reporting that anyone who cares about the future of the Middle East needs to read."—Charles M. Sennott, The Boston Globe
"This is an engaging, informative book which delivers a disturbing portrait of a region largely forgotten except when tourists are hit by terrorist attacks."—Sarah Irving, The Electronic Intifada
"Urgent and excellent . . . . In the course of his investigations, Sabry does more than merely shine an expert light onto the peninsula; he also illuminates many of the fault lines that have animated so much political unrest across the country as a whole."—Jack Schenker, Times Literary Supplement
"By showing and explaining what a critical region of the Middle East went through after 2011, Sabry contributes to the overall documentation of the Arab Spring. In this regard, Sinai develops the collective understanding of the political turmoil that has characterized the Middle East since 2011, facilitating the contemplation of its future implications. Thanks to Sabry's accessible writing style, the book constitutes a useful resource for both academics and the general readership."—Georgios Rigas, Middle East Policy Council
"A useful resource for ordinary readers and scholars alike." —Insight Turkey
Table of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Chronology
Map of Sinai
1. Sinai's Revolution: Four Days of Armed Fury
2. Bombing the Gas Pipeline: Attacking Israel on Egyptian Soil
3. Sinai's Arms: En Route to Gaza
4. The Smuggling Tunnels: Besieged by Israel, Gaza Explodes into Egypt
5. Sharia and Tribal Courts: The Law and Order of the Sinai Peninsula
6. A New Haven for Islamist Militants
7. The Military Under Attack
8. Morsi and al-Sisi: A Battle in Sinai
9. Terrorists Unleashed by Morsi's Ouster
10. The Imminent Threat
Notes
Sources
Bibliography
Index
