Israeli, Egyptian ambassadors to US discuss strategic relations
Meeting comes as US allies in Middle East eye Biden administration warily and Egypt presses for progress between Israel and Palestinians
Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Gilad Erdan said Tuesday he had a “great meeting” with his Egyptian counterpart, Motaz Zahran.
“We discussed ways to enhance the strategic relations between Israel and Egypt. I look forward to working together to continue building upon the deep ties between our two countries,” Erdan said.
The meeting came as US allies in the Middle East eye the new US administration warily. US President Joe Biden has yet to call Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other Middle East leaders.
Israel and Egypt have had full diplomatic relations since 1980 and both have a good relationship with the US. Israel also has ties in the region to Jordan, and more recently under normalization deals — to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
I had a great meeting today with @MotazZahran, Ambassador of @EgyptEmbassyUSA. We discussed ways to enhance the strategic relations between Israel and Egypt. I look forward to working together to continue building upon the deep ties between our two countries. pic.twitter.com/0BFKeEHy7p
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) February 9, 2021
The Biden administration has said it plans to rejoin the nuclear deal Iran signed with world powers in 2015, sparking alarm among US allies in the Middle East.
Tehran and Washington both demand the other side make the first step to come back to the deal, putting the two countries at a stalemate for the moment.
Biden has also said he will make human rights issues a central plank of his administration’s foreign policy, reportedly leading to concerns in Cairo that ties might not be as tight as they were during the Trump administration.
Egypt is also pushing for progress in Israel’s relations with the Palestinians.
Rival Palestinian factions are attending a summit in Cairo this week for talks aimed at holding the first Palestinian national elections in nearly 15 years.
Egypt on Tuesday opened its border with the Gaza Strip “indefinitely,” a security source said, as Cairo hosted the talks.
A Wednesday report said Netanyahu wants to fit an official visit to Egypt into his schedule ahead of the approaching March 23 elections.
Though the Egyptians like the idea as a way to boost ties with the US, they have conditioned the trip on Netanyahu making a gesture toward the two-state solution in the conflict with the Palestinians, the report said.
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi spoke with his Egyptian and Palestinian counterparts last month as part of an attempt to “advance peace in the region,” Egypt’s foreign ministry said.
The Times of Israel Community.