Lapid, Egypt’s intelligence chief discuss potential deepening of ties

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid meets with Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate chair Abbas Kamel in Jerusalem.

According to Lapid’s office, the two discussed deepening relations between the countries, which enjoy a close security relationship but only minimal civil society ties. Lapid and Kamel brought up possibilities of future collaboration in trade, medicine, agriculture, energy, and technology.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (right) meets with Abbas Kamel, director of Egypt’s General Intelligence Directorate, in Jerusalem on August 19, 2021. (Foreign Ministry)

Lapid also stressed that Israel will not tolerate continued rocket fire on its citizens from Gaza.

Kamel’s trip comes two days after two rockets were fired from Gaza toward the town of Sderot in a brief flare-up of violence amid a shaky calm in place since the May war.

Yesterday, Kamel met with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Defense Minister Benny Gantz. Through Kamel, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi invited Bennett to make an official visit to Egypt within the next few weeks.

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