Rivlin sends condolences to Sissi over mother’s death
Israeli president reaches out to Egyptian counterpart to express 'sympathies' at this 'difficult time'
President Reuven Rivlin on Tuesday sent condolences to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi over the death of his mother, Soad Ibrahim.
In a letter, Rivlin wrote “on behalf of the citizens of the State of Israel and myself, [I] send you our sincere condolences on the sad passing of your dear mother. Our sympathies are with you at this difficult time. May she rest in peace and may you know no further sorrow.”
The Egyptian presidency announced Monday that Sissi’s mother had died and asked that instead of spending money on newspaper notices and publications of condolences, citizens instead donate to a public fund that Sissi created to finance projects to revive the country’s economy.
The statement didn’t say how old Sissi’s mother was or give the cause of death.
The 60-year-old Sissi has often referred to his mother in interviews, saying she taught him “impartiality.” He had recently alluded in public to her being unwell.
He had also said she was the first person he went to see after, as military chief, he ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
Official relations between Jerusalem and Cairo have been relatively warm since Sissi rose to power. In June, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “deeply welcomed” Egypt’s appointment of its new ambassador to Israel, Hazem Khairat, after a three-year hiatus. That month, senior Israeli and Egyptian officials met in Cairo for the first time since 2011.