Can Peace with Former Enemies Ever Be Real?

Israel has always dreamed of peace, but at what cost? Time and again, history has proven that trust can be dangerous—offered too freely, only to be shattered when reality sets in.

The Abraham Accords were hailed as a breakthrough. Bahrain and the UAE, once enemies, were now allies. Israelis rushed to Dubai, swept up in the fantasy of a new Middle East. But was this a true shift in mindset, or just a deal brokered under Trump’s pressure?

I saw the warning signs early. As an outspoken pro-Israel activist, I was flooded with threats—many from the UAE itself. Their message was clear: governments may sign treaties, but the people don’t always follow.

This isn’t a new mistake. When Israel signed a peace deal with Egypt in 1979, optimism soared. But decades later, the hatred still burns. I witnessed it firsthand in 2009 when an Egyptian tour guide proudly claimed his country “defeated” Israel in 1967, calling Jews “dirty Zionists.”

I corrected him—reminding him that Israel won—but his response was chilling. The hostility wasn’t history; it was alive and thriving.

Egypt itself had changed. In the late ’70s, its cities were modern, its women dressed freely. But when I returned years later, extremism had swallowed the country. The society I once knew was gone. Still, Israelis vacationed there, blind to the reality that this peace was paper-thin.

Then came October 7. The massacre, the war, and the discovery of Hamas’s massive tunnel network forced a hard question: how did they build this arsenal? Gaza shares a border with Egypt. Is it possible that thousands of rockets, weapons, and explosives poured into Gaza without Egypt knowing? Or worse—without Egypt allowing it?

Now, the truth is surfacing:

“Israel’s US Envoy: Egypt’s Sissi is Breaking Peace Deal, ‘Playing Both Sides’ with Hamas.”

This was never about peace. It was about politics, power, and convenience. Israel is learning—again—that no foreign ally, not even the United States, is unconditional. Leaders change. Today it’s Trump; tomorrow it could be someone hostile to Israel. Treaties are ink on paper, easily ignored when it’s convenient.

The lesson is simple. Israel must rely on itself. Strength, security, and survival cannot depend on false promises. Trust must be earned—never given blindly.