Itongadol.- Israel\’s ambassador to Egypt David Govrin formally presented his credentials to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday, officially becoming Israel\’s 13th ambassador to Egypt since the countries established ties in 1980.
Govrin was one of eight ambassadors who presented their credentials to Sisi on Wednesday, the others being the new envoys from the United Arab Emirates, Somalia, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, Belgium and Greece. The ambassadors waited in line — one behind the other — to present their credentials to the Egyptian president. Israel does not have diplomatic relations with the UAE or Somalia. Presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef was quoted as saying that the president greeted the new envoys and wished them success.
The ceremony took place in the presence of Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry who visited Israel last month – the highest Egyptian official to do so since 2007.
Govrin’s formally becoming ambassador – he arrived in Egypt last month – comes during an uptick in ties between the two countries, with the Egyptians interested not only in close security cooperation with Israel, but also in wanting to play a role in pushing forward an Israeli-Palestinian diplomatic process.
Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid was quoted by Israel Radio on Wednesday saying that efforts needed to be increased with the Israelis, Russians and Americans “to encourage the two sides to return to the negotiating table." Sisi said last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed an interest in hosting talks between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Moscow.(David Govrin, Israel\’s new Ambassador to Egypt)
Govrin, who speaks fluent Arabic and has a doctorate in Middle East history, takes over as ambassador after serving most recently as the director of the Foreign Ministry’s Jordan and North Africa Department, coordinating ties with the Hashemite Kingdom, Morocco and Tunisia.
Govrin replaced Haim Koren, who served in the post for two years.
Egypt’s current ambassador to Israel, Hazem Khairat, arrived in Tel Aviv in January, the first resident Egyptian envoy since then-president Mohamed Morsi withdrew then-ambassador Atef Salem in 2012 during Operation Pillar of Defense.
Israel re-opened its embassy in Cairo last September, four years to the day after a mob invaded and trashed the legation, forcing Israel to airlift its diplomats out of Egypt and plunging the two countries into their worst diplomatic crisis in 30 years.
On September 9, 2011, during the height of the “Arab Spring” and half-a-year after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown, thousands of protesters stormed the embassy, using light poles as battering rams to demolish a protective wall around the compound.
Six security guards took refuge in a safe room in the embassy, and were finally evacuated hours later by Egyptian commandos, following direct intervention from US President Barack Obama.