[IsraelTimes] The trip, following similar delegations of Greek and Cypriot leaders, is intended to show that the regional allies are united and coordinated, both against friends and foes.
| Analysts say that one of the key purposes of the meetings — beyond the energy discussions — was to send a message to Turkey, and its president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. |
Although the visit of Egypt’s Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister to Israel on Sunday had the trappings of a routine discussion about energy cooperation by regional partners, it also sent a message to rivals and to the United States.
Tarek el-Molla’s trip was noteworthy for the mere fact that he was the first Egyptian minister to visit Israel since foreign minister Sameh Shoukry met with Netanyahu in 2016. And El-Molla is no minor player. "El-Molla is very close to Sisi," pointed out Gabriel Mitchell of the Mitvim Institute, an Israel-based think tank. "He is arguably one of the most visible Egyptian ministers outside the presidency." |