Egypt ignoring tensions with 'Israel': Haaretz

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There was barely any mention of the tensions between "Tel Aviv" and Cairo in Egyptian media, with no official nor unofficial comments from Egypt in other media, Haaretz said on Thursday. Consequently, they had to do with reports from "Israel" and quotes from [Security] Minister Benny Gantz.

The Israeli outlet called this a "positive sign" that indicates that Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi was seeking to contain the tensions between the two parties for "Tel Aviv" to "owe him one," the Israeli outlet said.

Contrary to requests made by Cairo, the Israeli occupation assassinated two senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) members in the Gaza Strip earlier in the month and refused to liberate Palestinian detainees Bassem Al-Saadi and Khalil Awawdeh despite pledges to do so. The Israeli occupation also downed an Egyptian UAV over Sinai in June, sparking heavy tensions between the two.

Read next: Gaza flare-up leaves new 'Israel'-Egypt tensions boiling

Haaretz said every time Cairo is asked to mediate between the Palestinian Resistance and the Israeli occupation, its diplomatic abilities are "put to the test."

"Whether it means promises to invest in Gaza, issuing more work permits, making it easier for construction material and other goods to enter Gaza, or releasing prisoners."

Egypt has an "exclusive franchise" for mediating between the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian resistance factions in the Gaza Strip, but its "monopoly" is exercised under the supervision of other Arab countries subjected to domestic pressures relating to the Palestinian cause, the outlet explained.

The Arab countries in question, Haaretz said, are Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and, "to some extent, Saudi Arabia."

"This new, broad web of relationships doesn’t allow Israel to ignore the warnings and requests of friendly Arab countries, even if they limit its military and economic freedom of action in those places, and especially in Gaza," it stressed.

An important aspect of Egypt is preserving its status in the US' eyes as a country that largely contributes to ceasefires and the resolution of conflicts, as it ameliorates Cairo's chances of obtaining loans from the US.

Cairo's efforts to receive aid and buy certain American weaponry are met with opposition due to its severe violations of human rights. Its pursuit of loans from the IMF is also blocked due to the same reasons. The US has already frozen a portion of Egypt's American aid due to its violations of human rights.

"Cairo's response is that it's embroiled in a tough fight against terrorism, investing money in reconstructing Gaza and mediating between Israel and Palestinian groups in Gaza," Haaretz said.

Egypt played a key role in brokering a ceasefire in light of the latest round of Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the Resistance's retaliation, as it mediated talks between "Tel Aviv" and the PIJ.

The head of the political department in the Islamic Jihad Movement, Muhammad Al-Hindi, said that "a formula for the Egyptian declaration of the truce agreement has been reached, and it includes Egypt's commitment to work for the release of the two prisoners, Khalil Awawdeh and Bassam Al-Saadi."

In turn, political and military affairs writer, Ahmed Abdel-Rahman, confirmed to Al Mayadeen that "the truce was delayed because the enemy renounced implementing the demands," warning that they should be cautious "because the Israeli enemy is treacherous."

The Israeli occupation began on August 5 aggression on the Gaza Strip, and Al-Quds Brigades announced that Tayseer Al-Jaabari, a military commander in the northern Gaza Strip, had been martyred.

Consequently, Al-Quds Brigades launched an operation in response to the Israeli occupation's aggression on the Gaza Strip, by launching salvoes of rockets toward the occupied Palestinian territories.

The latest death toll shows that around 49 Palestinians were martyred and 311 others were wounded.