Deputy foreign minister optimistic about Israel-Egypt relations

“There is room for optimism regarding continued cooperation and correct ties between Israel and Egypt,” Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said Saturday, addressing a crowd in Petah Tikva.

“[Egyptian President Mohammed] Morsi is the elected president of all of Egypt and today represents national, not sectarian interests,” added Ayalon.

Ayalon said that the messages arriving in Jerusalem from Cairo were “encouraging,” and that there has been no change in the activities of the embassies in Tel Aviv and Cairo since Morsi’s swearing in last week.

In Israel, there has been concern over Morsi’s intentions regarding the Israel-Egypt peace treaty. While Morsi has pledged to “honor international treaties and agreements,” he has not specifically mentioned the treaty with Israel, causing some to wonder about his intentions. Morsi is from the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, a movement which in the past has opposed any cooperation with Israel.

In a personal letter sent last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Morsi that he expects the new Egyptian government to respect the existing peace treaty with Israel.

Netanyahu urged Morsi to continue the cooperation that has existed since the Camp David accords ended the state of war between the two countries 33 years ago, emphasizing that “the peace treaty is in the interest of both countries and contributes to regional stability.”

In his letter, Netanyahu praised the democratic process in Egypt and reiterated that Israel respects and accepts the decision of the Egyptian people in electing Morsi to the presidency.

On Tuesday, however, Netanyahu voiced thinly veiled criticism of Egypt’s new ruler, saying at a Fourth of July event that Israel’s neighbors affected by the Arab Spring are unlikely to become “genuine” democracies in the near future.

“Real democracy is not merely about holding popular elections. It is about what happens between elections,” Netanyahu said. “It means ensuring that no one is above the law. It means protecting free speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion. It means upholding the rights of women, minorities, gays, children, everyone.”

“Now, will this happen? In the near term, I think we’ll all agree, there’s ample reason for skepticism,” Netanyahu said. “The forces currently [rising] throughout the region are not exactly…how shall I put it? They’re not exactly Jeffersonians.”