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Israel celebrates its Independence Day in Cairo for first time since Arab Spring

Israel Materials 9 May 2018 12:53 (UTC +04:00)
Israel’s Embassy in Egypt celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Jewish state’s founding on Tuesday in Cairo
Israel celebrates its Independence Day in Cairo for first time since Arab Spring

Israel’s Embassy in Egypt celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Jewish state’s founding on Tuesday in Cairo, the first such event since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising and a sign of improving ties between the two countries.

The party at the Nile Ritz Carlton was a step up for diplomacy in the Arab world’s most populous country, where relations with Israel have deepened under the rule of general-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who came to power after overthrowing his Islamist predecessor in 2013. The event was attended mostly by foreign diplomats, with only a few Egyptians.

In a speech at the event, Israeli Ambassador David Govrin welcomed the Arab world’s recent warming toward Israel, led mostly by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He also took a few shots at Israel’s nemesis Iran.

“The joining of the Saudi Crown Prince to the vision of stability and economic development shared by Egypt and Israel constitutes an important cornerstone. We have to broaden this partnership to additional states in order to advance common interests and in order to combat states and terror organizations, that are acting under Iran’s inspiration,” he said.

“Only a regional common struggle may confront Iran’s striving for nuclear weapons and undermine its consistent support to the terror organizations in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.”

Egypt was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel, in 1979, but relations have always been frosty due to popular Egyptian support for Palestinians. Economic ties between the two countries have recently thawed with a $15 billion deal for Israeli natural gas to be supplied to Egypt.

Sissi publicly supports the deal, saying it brought big advantages to Egypt and will help turn the country into a regional energy hub.

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