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Israeli PM makes ‘surprise visit’ to Egypt – media — Analysis

This unannounced visit comes just days after both countries agreed to opening up new flights.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made a “surprise visit”Egypt: To discuss “shared security interests” alongside the UAE’s crown prince, according to officials cited in several media reports.

Tel Aviv did not comment on this purported trip. However, unnamed Egyptian security officials told Reuters Bennett went to Sharm el-Sheikh (Red Sea Resort) on Monday to hold trilateral talks. Haaretz, Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel all confirmed the report.

Bennett and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met to discuss the matter with Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (Abu Dhabi). “shared security interests, of which there are quite a few, in all their aspects,”The Post was told by a diplomat. 

Haaretz reported, however, that the visit had been successful “part of an attempt to form a coalition between countries that were previously considered rivals,” among them Israel and a series of Arab states – “mainly”To oppose Iran.

Israel-Iran tensions put US troops at risk – general

Bennett and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid issued a joint statement last Friday urging Washington not to lift a terrorist designation for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which was placed on the sanctions blacklist by former President Donald Trump.

“We find it hard to believe that the IRGC’s designation as a terrorist organization will be removed in exchange for a promise not to harm Americans,”The officials asked the United States to not comply, they said. “abandon its closest allies”Such an example is “empty” assurances.

Similar worries have been reported by UAE. One source in Abu Dhabi told Post that similar concerns were raised. “in great shock”Discussions about removing IRGC of the terrorist list were held. Along with Israel and Saudi Arabia, the UAE is one of Iran’s top regional rivals.

Bennett’s reported visit to Sharm el-Sheikh comes just days after Tel Aviv and Cairo agreed to expand direct flights between the two nations, specifically those between Ben-Gurion International Airport in Israel and the Egyptian resort town.

“This agreement will further warm the relations between Israel and Egypt,” the PM said at the time, adding that “The cooperation between our two countries is expanding in many fields, and this is contributing… to regional stability.”

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