By Itzhak Rabihiya
President Rivlin told Cairo’s ambassador he wants to meet his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi
President Rivlin hosted today, (Tuesday 25 June) a meeting to mark the 40th anniversary of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Egyptian Ambassador to Israel Khaled Azmi, Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Minister of Regional Cooperation Tzachi Hanegbi also took part in the event. The event included members of the diplomatic corps, Israeli ambassadors who previously served in Egypt and officials who served in key roles during the peace process with Egypt.
Rivlin urged that the pact serve as an inspiration for reaching a similar agreement with the Palestinians. He also told Egyptian Ambassador to Israel Khaled Azmi that he would like to meet with Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
Rivlin and Azmi were joined at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem by Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Regional Cooperation Minister Tzahi Hanegbi, according to a statement from the president.
Members of the diplomatic corps also attended the event, among them Israeli ambassadors who previously served in Egypt and officials who played key roles in the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace accord, signed by prime minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. The pact was brokered by US president Jimmy Carter and formally signed at the White House.
“I want to especially express our appreciation to President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, whose commitment to peace, stability and cooperation has ensured that our relationship stays strong,” Rivlin said.
“Two generations of Israelis and Egyptians know only peace between our countries,” the president said at the beginning of his remarks.” The gift of peace is a tremendous gift which the leaders of Egypt and Israel have given to their children and grandchildren. I want to especially express our appreciation to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi whose commitment to peace, stability and cooperation has ensured that our relationship stays strong.”
He continued: “the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt was signed only six years after a terrible war between our countries in 1973. We could never have imagined that only a few years later our leaders would hug and shake hands. This should serve as an inspiration for our efforts to achieve peace with all of our neighbors, and especially our Palestinian neighbors and cousins. When courageous leaders are willing to end their conflict, and set out on a new path based on reconciliation and mutual respect, peace can be achieved more quickly than we can imagine.”
Egyptian Ambassador Khaled Azmi said: "Middle East peace can best be served by learning from our own past experiences. Our peace treaty has set important example in how Middle East peace is negotiated, and by what means should Arab and Israeli interests be accounted for in a peace process. Egypt was the pioneer in initiating peace in the Middle East. Our vision was, and still is, based on full nation-statehood and security for everyone in the region. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has wasted the resources and disrupted the lives of the people of the Middle East for many decades. It is saddening to claim the status-quo as the most that we can achieve of the hopes and aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians. The goal we aim to achieve through negotiations between the two parties is one that is based on justice, legitimate rights and mutual willingness to coexist in two neighboring independent states living in peace and security. This will provide a tangible new reality for the Israelis and Palestinians, enabling them to enjoy the well-deserved, peace security, and prosperity.”
Attached photo credit: Mark Neiman (GPO)
