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Israel Reopens Cairo Embassy 4 Years After Protesters’ Siege Israel Reopens Cairo Embassy 4 Years After Protesters’ Siege
(about 1 hour later)
CAIRO — Israel reopened an embassy in Cairo on Wednesday, four years to the day after the previous embassy was stormed by demonstrators during the aftermath of the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.CAIRO — Israel reopened an embassy in Cairo on Wednesday, four years to the day after the previous embassy was stormed by demonstrators during the aftermath of the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
The reopening reflects Israel’s effort to strengthen ties with the military-backed government in Egypt as an era of mass protest appears to have receded.The reopening reflects Israel’s effort to strengthen ties with the military-backed government in Egypt as an era of mass protest appears to have receded.
Israeli officials say they enjoy a robust relationship with the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former military chief who led the armed forces’ overthrow of Mr. Mubarak’s elected Islamist successor, Mohamed Morsi, in 2013.Israeli officials say they enjoy a robust relationship with the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former military chief who led the armed forces’ overthrow of Mr. Mubarak’s elected Islamist successor, Mohamed Morsi, in 2013.
“It’s going on for a while,” said the Israeli ambassador, Haim Koren, speaking by telephone moments after a ceremony inaugurating the new embassy in what had been the ambassador’s residence. “Especially on security issues the cooperation is coming much better now. This is an opportunity, not in every single thing, but in a few things, and we have a common interest now.” “It’s going on for a while,” said the Israeli ambassador, Haim Koren, speaking by telephone moments after a ceremony inaugurating the new embassy in what had been the ambassador’s residence. “Especially on security issues, the cooperation is coming much better now. This is an opportunity, not in every single thing, but in a few things, and we have a common interest now.”
In September 2011, a huge throng of protesters massed at the embassy and some broke into the building while Egyptian security forces stood by. Riot police officers later clashed with the angry crowd in a street battle, resulting in the deaths of at least two people. Egyptian commandos rescued six Israeli staff members who had been trapped in the building for 13 hours. In September 2011, a huge throng of protesters massed at the embassy, and some broke into the building while Egyptian security forces stood by. Riot police officers later clashed with the angry crowd in a street battle, resulting in the deaths of at least two people. Egyptian commandos rescued six Israeli staff members who had been trapped in the building for 13 hours.
The warming in relations is partly predicated on cooperation on security. In the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt’s military is battling Islamic State-allied insurgents who have killed many Egyptian soldiers and police officers. Sinai-based militants have also fired into Israel, bombed a tourist bus and sabotaged a gas pipeline to Israel. Egypt is also trying to sever smuggling tunnels from Sinai into the Gaza Strip, which is blockaded by Israel and controlled by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group. The warming in relations is partly predicated on cooperation on security. In the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt’s military is battling Islamic State-allied insurgents who have killed many Egyptian soldiers and police officers. Sinai-based militants have also fired into Israel, bombed a tourist bus and sabotaged a gas pipeline to Israel. Egypt is trying to sever smuggling tunnels from Sinai into the Gaza Strip, which is blockaded by Israel and controlled by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group.
But the reopening of an Israeli embassy also poses a delicate political question for Egypt’s government. Israel and Egypt have officially been at peace since the signing of a treaty in 1979, but opposition to Israel still runs deep in Egyptian society. For some, memories of past wars with Israel loom large, as do feelings of sympathy for Palestinians in lands under Israeli occupation or control.But the reopening of an Israeli embassy also poses a delicate political question for Egypt’s government. Israel and Egypt have officially been at peace since the signing of a treaty in 1979, but opposition to Israel still runs deep in Egyptian society. For some, memories of past wars with Israel loom large, as do feelings of sympathy for Palestinians in lands under Israeli occupation or control.
An Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ahmed Abu Zeid, declined to comment on the character of Egypt’s ties with Israel.An Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ahmed Abu Zeid, declined to comment on the character of Egypt’s ties with Israel.
“The new thing today is just the official opening of a temporary location of the embassy at the residence of the ambassador, nothing much more than that,” he said. “I’m commenting only on the fact that this is the official opening today. Egypt has normal relations with Israel, and the ambassador has been working here over the last four years.”“The new thing today is just the official opening of a temporary location of the embassy at the residence of the ambassador, nothing much more than that,” he said. “I’m commenting only on the fact that this is the official opening today. Egypt has normal relations with Israel, and the ambassador has been working here over the last four years.”
Michael Wahid Hanna, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation in New York, said Egypt is engaged in a “perpetual and inherent balancing act” in relations with Israel. Michael Wahid Hanna, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation in New York, said Egypt was engaged in a “perpetual and inherent balancing act” in relations with Israel.
“There are always going to be very real limits in terms of how far this relationship can go because there is no people-to-people aspect to it. And obviously public opinion is still very decidedly anti-Israel,” Mr. Hanna said. “There are always going to be very real limits in terms of how far this relationship can go because there is no people-to-people aspect to it,” Mr. Hanna said. “And obviously, public opinion is still very decidedly anti-Israel.”