Egypti's new ambassador, Muhammed Assem Ibrahim, arrived in Tel Aviv this morning, fresh from a stint heading the Egyptian Embassy in Sudan.
Egypt and Jordan, the only two Arab states with peace treaties with Israel, recalled their ambassadors from Israel less than two months after Palestinian Authority terrorists and para-military police began the Oslo War against Israel. Both countries agreed to return their ambassadors during the recent Sharm A-Sheikh summit.
Jordan's new ambassador, Marouf al-Bakhit, arrived in Israel at the end of February. Both Ibrahim and al-Bakhit will present their credentials to President Moshe Katzav this coming Monday.
Ibrahim has also represented Egypt in Kenya and Ethiopia, and is said to be highly-regarded in Egypt's Foreign Service. His wife is Egypt's ambassador to Switzerland, and she is expected to continue in her present position.
As part of the agreement regarding the return of the ambassador, Israel agreed in principle that 750 Egyptian soldiers will deploy in the coming months along the Philadelphi Route on the southern Gaza border with the Sinai. Their stated goal will be to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza. Egypt has been accused of turning a "blind eye" in the past to such smugglings, but if it succeeds this time, it could lead to a total Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Route.
Egypt and Jordan, the only two Arab states with peace treaties with Israel, recalled their ambassadors from Israel less than two months after Palestinian Authority terrorists and para-military police began the Oslo War against Israel. Both countries agreed to return their ambassadors during the recent Sharm A-Sheikh summit.
Jordan's new ambassador, Marouf al-Bakhit, arrived in Israel at the end of February. Both Ibrahim and al-Bakhit will present their credentials to President Moshe Katzav this coming Monday.
Ibrahim has also represented Egypt in Kenya and Ethiopia, and is said to be highly-regarded in Egypt's Foreign Service. His wife is Egypt's ambassador to Switzerland, and she is expected to continue in her present position.
As part of the agreement regarding the return of the ambassador, Israel agreed in principle that 750 Egyptian soldiers will deploy in the coming months along the Philadelphi Route on the southern Gaza border with the Sinai. Their stated goal will be to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza. Egypt has been accused of turning a "blind eye" in the past to such smugglings, but if it succeeds this time, it could lead to a total Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Route.