Egypt Watch

Netanyahu: Sisi is a dear friend

July 12, 2019

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended a celebration at the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv on Wednesday to commemorate Egyptian National Day.

July 23, the anniversary of the 1952 revolution, is a national holiday celebrated by Egypt and all Egyptian embassies and consulates across the world.

The ceremony opened at the Egyptian Embassy with the Israeli national anthem. Rivlin said that Egypt plays a leading role in the Middle East and expressed hope that the Egyptian and Israeli people live in peace and cooperation.

Netanyahu said in a speech at the ceremony: “Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is a dear friend, and in my meetings with him I was surprised by his wisdom, intelligence, and courage,” adding that peace with Egypt is the cornerstone of stability.

Khalid Azmi, the Egyptian ambassador to Tel Aviv, said that many achievements have been made since the peace treaty was signed, pointing out that this symbolises great stability in a tense region.

Egyptian-Israeli relations have developed considerably since Abdel Fattah al-Sisi assumed power in mid-2014. Israel was once an enemy of Egyptians at the diplomatic and popular levels.