Egypt's new ambassador to Israel leaves for Tel Aviv

2 September 2012, 23:51 (GMT+05:00)

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Egypt's new ambassador to Israel, Atef Salem, departed Cairo airport Sunday to take up his posting in Tel Aviv, dpa reported.

Salem was appointed in a reshuffle of senior foreign ministry staff. He previously served as Egypt's Consul-General in Eilat.

His departure comes against a backdrop of Egyptian troop deployments to combat Islamist militants in the Sinai peninsula on Israel's border.

Tel Aviv is worried that - whilst anxious for Cairo to tackle the militants - Egyptian troop levels were allegedly above those allowed under the two countries' 34-year old peace deal.

Egypt and Israel signed a peace agreement in 1978, but relations have often been tense, with Egyptian popular opinion strongly supportive of the Palestinians.

The election in June of Muslim Brotherhood member Mohammed Morsi as Egypt's first civilian, Islamist president has raised concerns in Israel over the future of its relations with Egypt.