Israel expresses dismay at US cutbacks in aid to Egypt
MEMO | October 10, 2013
Israeli officials and experts are expressing disappointment over Washington’s decision to reduce military aid to Egypt in response to the events that followed the ousting of Egypt’s first freely elected President Mohammed Morsi on 3 July.
The New York Times said on Wednesday that Israel believes the US aid is an integral part of the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, and an essential condition for maintaining stability in the region.
Regarding the US decision, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said he would speak only ‘in general terms,’ but made it clear that any withdrawal of aid was a concern.”
The newspaper quoted an Israeli official speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, who warned that, “the implications of punitive cuts in Egypt’s aid could go far beyond the issue of Israeli-Egyptian relations.”
In a radio interview last week Netanyahu explained that: “peace was premised on American aid to Egypt”, which makes it a “most important consideration [for Israel]. And I’m sure that’s taken under advisement in Washington.”
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Tel Aviv regime rejects changes to Camp David Accords
Press TV – September 23, 2012
The Tel Aviv regime says it will not accept any changes to the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, as the ties between the two sides continue to sour.
“There is not the slightest possibility that Israel will accept the modification of the peace treaty with Egypt,” Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Sunday.
The 1979 peace treaty was signed following the Camp David Accords, agreed upon by then Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat and then Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978, at Camp David in Washington DC.
“We will not accept any modification of the Camp David Accords,” Lieberman further said.
Lieberman’s comments come amid speculations that Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi will seek alterations to the agreements.
Tensions have been simmering between Cairo and the Tel Aviv regime over the security of the Sinai Peninsula and the heavy deployment of Egyptian forces to the region.
Egypt boosted its military presence in the Sinai after militants killed 16 Egyptian border guards on August 5.
However, the Camp David treaty limits the number of Egyptian troops that can be present in the territory.
Lieberman also stated that Egypt should fulfill its obligations in the peninsula.
Tel Aviv has warned Cairo to pull out the military reinforcements from the region.

