Senior Israeli defense official: Egypt’s Morsi refuses to talk to us

Amos Gilad described Morsi’s gov’t as a ‘terrible dictatorship.
Israel must safeguard the peace treaty with Egypt ‘at any cost.’

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Senior Israeli defense official Amos Gilad came out against the Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Egypt on Friday, describing it as a “terrible dictatorship,” and saying President Mohammed Morsi’s regime “won’t talk” to Israel.

Supporters of Mohammed Morsi celebrate his election as president of Egypt

Supporters of Mohammed Morsi celebrate his election as president of Egypt, June 2012 – Photo by Reuters

Speaking to students at an event in the Israeli city of Herzliya, Gilad said that “out of a desire for democracy, a terrible dictatorship has arisen” in Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood came to power after elections earlier this year.

He stressed, however, that Israel must “safeguard the peace agreement with Egypt at any cost,” saying that Israel does not want to engage in military activity against its southern neighbor.

Gilad added that today the Israeli and Egyptian leaderships are not in contact. “There is no talk between our political echelon and that of Egypt, and I don’t think there will be,” he said, adding that they “won’t talk to us.”

In July this year, President Shimon Peres received a letter from Morsi in which he expressed his hopes for peace and stability in the Middle East. Egypt later denied that Morsi had sent the letter.

Gilad also addressed the Palestinian issue on Friday. Israel and the Palestinians must enter into dialogue, he said, adding that in his opinion, however, there will not be a peace agreement in the near future.

“Without the Palestinian Authority, Hamas will gain power, we must make contact with (the PA) …. in order to ensure security coordination.”

 

View original HAARETZ publication at: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/senior-israeli-defense-official-egypt-s-morsi-won-t-talk-to-us-1.474030