The Al-Hayat Newspaper in London reported that a senior Egyptian source stated that Cairo is holding talks with Israel in an attempt to ensure the resumption of direct peace talks with the Palestinians.The sources stated that Cairo is holding Talks with Tel Aviv in an attempt to ensure the resumption of peace talks, adding that Egypt will not wait until the election season in the United States is over, especially since Israel is ongoing with its illegal construction and expansion of colonies in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.
The source added that Egypt asked the Hamas-led government in Gaza to refrain from involving Egypt in security issues, such as weapons smuggling into Gaza, and also warned that Israel might conduct a military offensive in the Sinai desert.
The sources also said that Cairo “will not abandon its role is supporting the Palestinian people, and their right to statehood, and stressed that “regardless of who rules Egypt, the country will not change its stances regarding supporting the Palestinian cause”.
He added that the Rafah terminal, between Gaza and Egypt, will not be shut down, and that Egypt “will not allow the siege to continue”, adding that Cairo conducted several measures that facilitated the procedures on the Rafah border terminal, allowing the Palestinians to travel to, and from, the coastal region.
Egypt, according to the source, is about to implement new measures that would provide more convenience on the border terminal, including a Mall located on the border between the Egyptian and Palestinian cities of Rafah to sell Egyptian goods, adding that smuggled Egyptian goods that enter Gaza via the siege-busting tunnels are sold for very high prices.
The source also said that Egypt is annoyed by the recent statements of the Hamas-led government in Gaza, in which the government accused Egypt of delaying the transfer of Qatar-donated fuel into Gaza, and called on the government to apologize for its statements.
“We did not, and will not, deny the entry of aid into Gaza, but there are certain security arrangements, and measures, that must be taken before the trucks can continue their trip to Gaza”, he said.
All Arab and international efforts to resume Palestinian-Israeli peace talks are hitting dead-ends due to the ongoing Israeli violations, topped by the illegal construction and expansion of settlements, violations against the Palestinians and their homes in occupied Jerusalem, and the ongoing Israeli military invasions.
