A select group of the heads of Egypt's security services, intelligence, police and airport security has been convening daily in the intelligence headquarters in Cairo, to observe events in Syria and for good reason. Egypt is among the few Arab nations that have not dispatched representatives to meet with the new Damascus regime, and only sent one plane carrying aid, thus far.
The Egyptians supported the deposed Syrian leader Bashar Assad, not out of approval of his murderous regime but because it was chosen through elections.
Only when the rebel forces neared the gates of Damascus and Assad fled, did the tune in Cairo change somewhat and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi declared that the new rulers would be judged by their actions.
Cairo feared an outbreak of mass riots, despite a ban on demonstrations on university campuses, factories and city streets. There is no shortage of reasons for protests, including widespread unemployment and poverty while palaces were built for el Sisi in Cairo and El Alamein, west of Alexandria and defense spending even has Israel worried.
The word in Cairo today is that there must be careful examination before a hand is extended to the rebel leaders now ruling over Syria. Allies of Ahmad al-Sharaa claim that Egypt refused to fly the Syrian opposition flag on the Syrian embassy building.
The head of Egypt's national airline said Syrians wishing to enter Egypt would be subjected to special security checks by the security agencies and suggested that Syrian passport holders avoid traveling to Egypt altogether.
Just three days after the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under the leadership of al Sharaa took control of Damascus, the Syria foreign minister received a call from his Egyptian counterpart. At the same time, a statement from el-Sisi was released. "The new regime in Syria will either build or destroy that country."
Smadar Perry Photo: Yariv KatzSoon after, 30 Syrian nationals were arrested in Cairo after they celebrated the toppling of Assad. Three of them have since been dispatched back to Syria.
The next day, Egyptian television showed a film where the New Syrian ruler appeared alongside Mohammed Fathi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been outlawed in Egypt.
Had Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoken to the Egyptian leader he would have realized that Egypt has not an iota of trust in the new Syrian rulers and is concerned that their success, could bring conflict to its borders. Al Sharaa has been able to fool many who have been trying to understand his true intensions.
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He may have chosen to appear in the finest Western suits but women he appointed to senior positions are in veils. HTS may be dissolved as he promised but its members were using force when collecting arms. This reminds el Sisi and his security and intelligence officials of the conduct of the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo when they came to power.