Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak today in Cairo, in an attempt to clarify Egypt's role in the diplomatic process between Israel and the PA in general, and in Gaza in particular. Shalom also met with Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleimon.
Minister Shalom announced afterwards that Israel and Egypt will establish a joint working group for smooth implementation of the "disengagement plan" adopted by Israel yesterday.
Israel is anxious to obtain an Egyptian guarantee to strive to prevent the smuggling of arms and explosives from Egypt to Gaza - activities to which Egypt has turned a blind eye over the past several years. It appears that the price Israel must pay for Egyptian cooperation in this sphere will be to allow Egyptian forces in Sinai, in opposition to the terms of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty of 1978.
The Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram reported today that Azzam Azzam, an Israeli Druze imprisoned in Egypt over seven years ago for allegedly spying for Israel, will be freed from prison next month. Al Ahram says that in exchange, Israel will free Samir Kuntar, a Lebanese Druze imprisoned in Israel for murdering a father and two daughters, as well as a policeman, in northern Israel 25 years ago. Kuntar has long been said to be the price Israel is to pay for information on missing navigator; alternatively, there has been talk of a multi-country release involving Jonathan Pollard, Azzam and others.
In the meantime, former Egyptian Ambassador to Israel Mohammed Bassiouny repeated a call for a "safe passage" territorial route through Israel connecting Gaza with the Palestinian Authority areas in Judea and Samaria. The "safe passage" route, he suggested, should be under Egyptian control. Bassiouny made his comments to PA media today.
Minister Shalom announced afterwards that Israel and Egypt will establish a joint working group for smooth implementation of the "disengagement plan" adopted by Israel yesterday.
Israel is anxious to obtain an Egyptian guarantee to strive to prevent the smuggling of arms and explosives from Egypt to Gaza - activities to which Egypt has turned a blind eye over the past several years. It appears that the price Israel must pay for Egyptian cooperation in this sphere will be to allow Egyptian forces in Sinai, in opposition to the terms of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty of 1978.
The Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram reported today that Azzam Azzam, an Israeli Druze imprisoned in Egypt over seven years ago for allegedly spying for Israel, will be freed from prison next month. Al Ahram says that in exchange, Israel will free Samir Kuntar, a Lebanese Druze imprisoned in Israel for murdering a father and two daughters, as well as a policeman, in northern Israel 25 years ago. Kuntar has long been said to be the price Israel is to pay for information on missing navigator; alternatively, there has been talk of a multi-country release involving Jonathan Pollard, Azzam and others.
In the meantime, former Egyptian Ambassador to Israel Mohammed Bassiouny repeated a call for a "safe passage" territorial route through Israel connecting Gaza with the Palestinian Authority areas in Judea and Samaria. The "safe passage" route, he suggested, should be under Egyptian control. Bassiouny made his comments to PA media today.