New Egypt ambassador to Israel to assume post next week

By Abdel Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM

Khaled Mahmoud Azmi next week will deliver his credentials to the Israeli Foreign Ministry as Cairo’s new envoy to the self-proclaimed Jewish state, according to source

Israel’s official broadcasting corporation said Thursday that Azmi -- who replaces outgoing ambassador Hazem Khairat -- would present his credentials to the ministry on Sunday before presenting them to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.

Azmi is set to become Egypt’s seventh ambassador to Israel since the two countries established formal relations after signing the Camp David peace treaty in 1979.

On Tuesday, Israel appointed Amira Oron as its ambassador to Cairo, the first woman to hold the position.

Oron will replace David Govrin, who has held the post since 2016.

With the signing of the 1979 peace treaty, Egypt became the first Arab country to recognize Israel.

In 1980, Israel opened its embassy in Cairo. One month later, Egypt opened its embassy in Tel Aviv.

In 1982, Israel completed the final phase of its withdrawal from Egypt’s Peninsula, which it had occupied during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.