Israel media: Egypt stalling to delay arrival of our new envoy
Egypt is “deliberately stalling” to delay the arrival of the new Israeli ambassador to Cairo in light of tensions between the two countries regarding the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported on Sunday.
Israel 24 news website reported that “the former ambassador, Amira Oron, completed her duties and returned to Israel two weeks ago, while the new ambassador, Uri Rothman, has not yet received Egypt’s approval, so he is still in Israel.”
“Israel has not had an ambassador in Egypt for two weeks, and the reason is deliberate stalling on the part of Cairo,” it added.
The newspaper explained that this step comes “in light of the tensions between Israel and Egypt given Tel Aviv’s insistence on keeping the Israeli army along the Philadelphi Corridor” on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on occupying the Philadelphi Corridor, a move rejected by both Egypt and the Hamas movement.
The website quoted an unnamed Israeli source as saying: “The Egyptians are deliberately stalling to punish us, and they are not even pushing for receiving his [the ambassador’s] letter of recommendation for the position.”
“The one who traditionally welcomes an ambassador in Egypt is the president in an official ceremony, and the last thing Cairo wants now is a picture of a new Israeli ambassador being respectfully received by President Al-Sisi,” the source added.
