Egypt Sending Envoy to Israel for First Time in 3 Years

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By JTA June 21, 2015

Egypt has appointed an ambassador to Israel after recalling its envoy three years ago.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Sunday that there will be a new Egyptian minister.

“The Foreign Ministry welcomes the appointment,” ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said in a statement.

The new ambassador has been identified as Hazem Khairat, Egypt’s former permanent representative to the Arab League and the country’s former ambassador to Chile.

The last Egyptian ambassador to Israel was recalled in the wake of Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza in November 2012.

Israel named a new ambassador to Egypt last September. The Israeli Embassy was closed in September 2011 after rioting anti-Israel protesters broke down the 8-foot-high security wall surrounding the embassy compound and entered the building. Since then, diplomats have been working in other locations.

Meanwhile, Israel’s ambassador to Egypt on Friday posted a video on YouTube wishing Egyptians a happy holy month of Ramadan.

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