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Will Public Opposition in Egypt Block Proposed Railway Line from Israel?
(Al-Monitor) Walaa Hussein - Israel's ambassador to Cairo, David Govrin, met in July with prominent Egyptian sociologist and director of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, to discuss strengthening diplomatic ties. Ibrahim said, "I discussed with the Israeli ambassador how the Israeli public believes the relations between the people of Israel and Egypt have not been as hoped since the peace agreement between the two sides. Many in Israel are calling for more coordination with Egypt. This should not be limited to daily security coordination to preserve security in the Sinai but should also cover travel, cultural and commercial activities. This is why the Israeli ambassador proposed at our meeting the idea of a railway connecting Egypt to Israel." Govrin's proposal comes in conjunction with the Israeli government's plans for a railway project linking it with Arab countries. The rail plan, called Tracks for Regional Peace, would begin in Israel and go to Saudi Arabia via the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank and across the Jordanian border. Ibrahim said, "In response to the proposals raised at the meeting with Ambassador Govrin, I asserted that the Palestine cause still prevents Egypt from reversing its conservative stance toward normalization with Israel." Nevertheless, on July 22, a complaint was filed with the Egyptian attorney general against Ibrahim on charges of spying for Israel.