Israel encouraged by Egyptian cooperation
Jordan's King Abdullah thinks likelihood of peace treaty annulment 'very, very likely', Egyptian media touts deal as 'victory' yet Israel believes direct negotiations over Ilan Grapel's release, mediation in Shalit deal, mean Cairo is signaling firm interest in continued cooperation
Recriminations were heard on both sides, Cairo demanded a public apology from Jerusalem, which in turn, dragged its feet; an angry mob attacked the Israeli embassy in Cairo and even calls for the annulment or reevaluation of the 1979 peace treaty.
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Yet just one month before Egyptians head to the polls for the first time since former President Hosni Mubarak's fall from power, to elect their parliamentary representatives, and in spite of concerns over the increasing power of the Muslim Brotherhood, Israel is drawing encouragement from the cooperation with Egypt's ruling Higher Military Council over the recent deals to free Gilad Shalit and Ilan Grapel.
Diplomatic sources on Thursday told Ynet that "all in all the relationship with the council is a good one and it is completely clear at the moment that Egypt's interest is to maintain the peace treaty."
A senior Israeli official stressed the fact that the Egyptians demanded that the negotiations for the release of Ilan Grapel, the American-Israeli accused of espionage, be held directly with Israel and not through an American intermediary.
According to that senior source, "there is an important message from the Egyptians who are signaling that they are interested in continuing cooperation". Diplomatic sources emphasized that "both Israel and Egypt have joint challenges in the terror and Islamization departments".
wa.jpg "גלעד שליט במעבר רפיח, מתוך הטלוויזיה המצרית. קהיר תיווכה בעסקה")
Gilad Shalit being released in Egypt
These statements are in direct contrast to statements made on Thursday by Jordan's King Abdullah II.
The Jordanian monarch who has, for two years been expressing his concern over the negotiation freeze between Israel and the Palestinians and has warned again and again of an outbreak of all out war said that he believes that the possibility of Egypt cancelling the peace treaty with Israel was "very very likely".
Jerusalem remains unmoved: "The king's statements may be revealed as correct in the long term, but in the short term and the foreseeable future, the peace treat will survive in spite of the elections in Egypt."
The diplomatic sources also stressed that "the Muslim Brotherhood was gaining strength but they failed in presenting a presidential candidate, and the interest of any elected president would be to maintain the peace treaty. At this time, all the candidates are stating that they are committed to the treaty.
'Glorious October victories'
"The Egyptians know that without a peace treaty, the US will withhold aid to Egypt and so in the short term the treaty is not expected to disintegrate." They also emphasized that Israel and Egypt have a joint interest in not allowing Iran to expand its hegemony in the Middle East as well as preventing weapons from reaching the Sinai Peninsula.
The Grapel deal may well show Israel and Egypt's ability to communicate with each other directly, but the Egyptian public and the messages it is receiving from its government should still raise concerns. The Egyptian state media went out of its way on Thursday to prove that the Grapel deal was "a major success of the Egyptian intelligence", "a victory", an "Egyptian achievement".
South Sinai governor South Sinai governor Khaled Fouda said that the Grapel deal joins the "Glorious October victories"; referring to the Yom Kippur War.
The message was clear: The new regime is good to the people and fulfills its promises, unlike the Mubarak regime. Some of the returned Egyptian prisoners even rushed, after kissing the Egyptian soil, to thank Military leader Mohammed Tantawi for their release.
Roee Nahmias contributed to the report
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