CAIRO: Egypt and Israel agreed to look into expanding economic ties after Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit met with Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry Yossi Gal in Cairo Monday.
According to a statement by the Israel foreign ministry, Aboul Gheit and Gal agreed to cement bilateral dialogue between Egypt and Israel as well as reinforce economic ties and expand joint activities.
Additionally, a high-ranking delegation from the Egyptian foreign ministry will visit Israel in September to “continue political dialogue, the statement read.
Gal also met with other foreign ministry officials during his one day visit to Cairo and the Israeli press release said that Aboul Gheit had agreed that now was the time for the two countries to work together
In his meeting with Aboul Gheit, Gal “discussed bilateral and regional issues . [and] referred to common challenges to both Israel and Egypt, the statement read, in a possible allusion to Iran, which Israel views as a threat and with which Egypt has a strained relationship.
Gal’s visit to Cairo was notable for the fact that his superior, the new Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman, is yet to visit Egypt.
Egyptian officials, including Aboul Gheit himself, have insisted that Lieberman will not be welcome in Egypt until he has apologized for derogatory comments about President Hosni Mubarak he made before taking office.
But Shani Cooper-Zubida from the Israeli embassy in Cairo did not believe that Gal was here because Lieberman was not welcome, telling Daily News Egypt, “It is not the first time that the director general of the foreign ministry visits Egypt, it is normal for him to do so, noting that Gal’s predecessor visited Egypt in the past.
Lieberman had said that Mubarak could “go to hell for not visiting Israel except for the funeral of assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yithak Rabin and also threatened that Israel would bomb the Aswan Dam if the situation arose.
Since assuming his post in Benyamin Netanyahu’s government he has sought a more conciliatory approach speaking of his great respect for Egypt but officials here have been unmoved because they have felt that he has not apologized outright for his comments.
Additionally, the Israeli media has reported that Egypt is opposed to Lieberman’s choice for the next ambassador to Egypt, Shaul Kamisa, because of his strong links with Lieberman.
An internal memo was allegedly sent to Gal July 12 from Israeli foreign ministry officials that indicated Egypt would not be pleased with the appointment of Kamisa.
