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Source: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/05/israel-seeks-double-trade-egypt
Israel Seeks to Double Trade with Egypt
(Al-Monitor) Danny Zaken - This year, on Israel's Independence Day, for the first time in 40 years and as a sign of warming relations, the Jewish-Arab Firkat Alnoor Orchestra traveled to Egypt where it presented a repertoire of classical Arab music. Following contacts with the Egyptian government, Israel is expected to soon authorize a plan to expand economic ties with Egypt with the declared goal of doubling the scope of commerce (not including the sale of natural gas) from $330 million in 2021 to $700 million. Joint working groups are planned on topics such as technology and climate, the expansion of tourism by opening more direct flights to Egypt, and a real increase in the involvement of Israeli companies in developing agriculture in Egypt, with an emphasis on water technology and desert agriculture. These developments send a clear message to the rest of the region and particularly to the Palestinians, who continue to remain outside the economic-diplomatic game in the region, depending quite significantly on the generosity of other nations.