Israel Matzav

Egypt to improve bilateral ties with Hezbullah

I would have thought that the Egyptians would have no interest in improved relations with Hezbullah. I would have thought that keeping Hezbullah at a distance would have been a measure of Egyptian self-preservation. But apparently, I was wrong.

Hizbullah and the Egyptian Consul Consul on Friday stressed on the need to improve bilateral ties and overcome obstacles, in the first move in two years aimed at reviving relations between the two sides.

Relations between Hizbullah and Cairo worsened after the arrest of the so-called Hizbullah cell in Egypt in 2008.

In April, the Egyptian Supreme State Security court sentenced 26 defendants, who had been charged with membership in Hizbullah, for conspiracy and terrorism charges.

Friday's development came after a meeting held between Hizbullah's Arab relations official, Sheikh Hassan Ezzedine, and Egyptian Consul General Ahmed Helmi.

A statement said the two officials discussed the latest political developments in Lebanon and the Arab world. The two sides also stressed the importance of improving bilateral ties to overcome obstacles and consolidate the Lebanese and Arab stance.

What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:14 AM