Egypt: where are the leverage points?

Egypt is probably the most important country in the Arab world. Because of its size, the Suez Canal, its mixture of Muslim and Christian populations, its border with Israel and the Gaza Strip, its scholarly relevance, the relations with the US, the competition for political influence between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and so on.

For those reasons, the dramatic events of these days keep sending shock waves well beyond Egypt’s neighbourhood. And everyone, in all the key capitals, is looking for means to influence both sides in the country. But they have not been successful. The question that is in everyone minds is very clear: what could be the leverage points that might give weight to foreign pressure. And that question remains without an answer.