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For the first time in five years: Egyptian minister's first public visit to Israel
Egypt's Energy Minister Tariq al-Mullah is expected to meet with Netanyahu and Steinitz to discuss with them the promotion of the regional gas forum, in which Greece and Cyprus also participate.
Earlier this month it was published in Walla!
NEWS that Netanyahu wants to visit Egypt before the election, but Egyptian President al-Sisi conditioned this in tribute to the Palestinians
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Lightning Ravid
Sunday, 21 February 2021, 10:06
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Egyptian Energy Minister Tarek al-Mullah will visit Israel today (Sunday).
This is the first public and open visit by an Egyptian minister to Israel since Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri visited Jerusalem in July 2016. Al-Mulla is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz and visit the gas rig.
During the visit, the Egyptian Minister will discuss with Steinitz the promotion of the regional gas forum in which Greece and Cyprus will also participate.
Earlier this month, it was announced that Netanyahu wanted to visit Egypt before the election, but Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi set him a condition: to present a gesture on the Palestinian issue, such as a declaration of commitment to a two-state solution.
Sources close to Netanyahu rejected the claim that al-Sisi conditioned the meeting.
The Egyptians are very worried that their relationship with the Biden administration will start on the left foot.
They are interested in restarting their involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, thereby sending a positive signal to the White House and increasing their relevance as partners in the eyes of the new president.
"President al-Sisi does not care so much about the Palestinian issue, but he knows that Netanyahu is looking for a photo-op for the election campaign and is trying to extract from it a political achievement for Egypt," a source close to the issue said.
More on Walla!
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Netanyahu with al-Sisi, September 2017 (Photo: Government Press Office, Avi Ohayon)
Netanyahu's potential visit to Egypt has been under discussion between the parties for several months against the background of the Avraham agreements and the change of government in the United States.
The last time Netanyahu officially and publicly visited Egypt was a decade ago, when President Hosni Mubarak was still in power.
Even then, these visits were to Sharm el-Sheikh and not to Cairo.
Since then, Netanyahu has secretly visited Egypt several times.
Two Israeli sources involved in the matter said that Netanyahu's visit to Egypt almost took place about a month ago, but Egypt had second thoughts following the early elections in Israel.
The visit was postponed, and when talks on the issue resumed, the Egyptians requested that Netanyahu make a gesture of goodwill on the Palestinian issue in the context of the visit.
One of the ideas the Egyptians came up with was for Netanyahu to make a statement before or during his visit to Egypt, according to which he is committed to a two-state solution or to make some move on the ground, Israeli sources said.
According to them, Netanyahu objected to making such a statement or making any move on the Palestinian issue on the eve of the election, against the background of his attempt to mobilize as much support as he can among right-wing voters.
More on Walla!
NEWS
Netanyahu wants to visit Egypt before the election.
Al-Sisi gave this as a tribute to the Palestinians
To the full article
At the end of last month, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, who is considered the person closest to President al-Sisi, visited Israel.
Sources close to Prime Minister Netanyahu referred to the claim that the meeting was conditional, and said that "such an Egyptian stipulation is not recognized and this did not come up at all in the Egyptian intelligence chief's meeting with Netanyahu."
Kamal is on a visit to Israel following a similar visit to Ramallah recently.
Kamal met with senior officials in the Prime Minister's Office, and when the issue of Netanyahu's visit to Egypt came up again, he reiterated al-Sisi's request.
Israeli sources stated that Netanyahu still hopes to hold the visit and that efforts are being made to find a compromise formula that will allow this.
US President Joe Biden has sharply criticized Egypt during his election campaign, especially when it comes to human rights violations.
The Egyptians fear that their close relationship with the US administration during the Trump era will not continue during the Biden era.
A re-emphasis on the Egyptian role in mediating between Israel and the Palestinians may help Egypt produce a positive agenda with the new administration in Washington - and al-Sisi has already begun to push in that direction.
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