Russia to reroute oil exports to ‘friendly’ states

 

© Getty Images / Nicholas Prylutskyy / EyeEm

Source: RT

Energy supplies will not go to countries that support price caps, Deputy PM Novak has said

Russia intends to shift the exports of its oil and petroleum products to ‘friendly’ countries this year, increasing their share in total supplies shipped abroad to 75-80%, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak has revealed.

“As for supplies to states that maintain illegitimate price restrictions, our position here is widely known and remains unchanged: such countries will not receive Russian oil,” Novak wrote in an article for the magazine Energy Policy on Monday.

He noted that oil production in Russia amounted to 535.2 million tons in 2022, which is 2% more than in the previous year. Oil exports increased by 7.6%, to 242 million tons, Novak wrote.

The deputy PM also noted that last year, in order to reorient Russian oil supply to friendly countries, a project was implemented to increase transportation via the major eastern port of Kozmino. As a result, deliveries to the countries in the Asia-Pacific region rose to 42 million tons per year.

Moscow has been diversifying its energy supplies in response to Western sanctions. The EU’s ban on Russian refined petroleum products, which came into force on February 5, set a price limit of $100 per barrel for diesel, jet fuel, and gasoline from Russia, and a $45-per-barrel cap for other oil products that trade below the crude price, such as fuel oil used in industry.

The price caps, together with an EU ban on imports of Russian oil products, are part of a broader agreement among the G7 countries. It follows a $60-per-barrel cap on Russian crude that the G7 along with the EU and Australia imposed on December 5.

The measures prohibit Western companies from financing, insuring, trading, brokering, or carrying cargoes of Russian crude and oil products unless they were bought at or below the set price caps.

Moscow has opposed any attempts to cap the prices of its energy exports. The Russian government has banned crude sales to buyers that mention the price ceiling in their contracts, and a similar restriction is expected to be introduced in response to the EU’s latest cap on oil products.
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Israel is Egypt’s no. 1 enemy, MPs declare

People's Assembly Speaker Saad al-Katatni addresses the parliament in Cairo on January 23, 2012.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/231376.html

The lower house of the Egyptian parliament has unanimously approved a text declaring that Israel is the number one enemy of Egypt and calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and a halt to gas exports to Israel.

On Monday, Egyptian MPs voted by a show of hands on the text of a report, which was compiled by the Arab Affairs Committee of the People's Assembly (lower house of parliament).

"Revolutionary Egypt will never be a friend, partner or ally of the Zionist entity, which we consider to be the number one enemy of Egypt and the Arab nation," the report declared, adding, "It will deal with that entity as an enemy, and the Egyptian government is hereby called upon to review all its relations and accords with that enemy."

In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, but was compelled to agree to supply gas to Israel as one of the main economic conditions of the US-sponsored peace deal.

According to the results of an opinion poll conducted by Synovate for Press TV and published on October 3, 2011, an overwhelming majority of Egyptians oppose the terms of the country's gas deal with Israel.

In the poll, seventy-three percent of the respondents said they were opposed to gas exports to Israel. Only 9 percent said they approved of Egypt supplying gas to Israel, and 12 percent had no opinion.

The issue of supplying gas to Israel has always been a contentious topic for Egyptians, who view Israel as an enemy and oppose engaging in any form of business with it.

According to a $2.5 billion export deal with Tel Aviv, signed in 2005, Israel receives around 40 percent of its gas supply from Egypt at an extremely low price.

Egypt parliament gets legislative powers

Mohamed Saad al-Katatni of the Muslim Brotherhood speaks to other members of the Egyptian parliament during the first session after the revolution that ousted former dictator Hosni Mubarak, Cairo, January 23, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/222766.html

Egypt's military rulers, who took over the reins after a revolution ousted former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak, have handed legislative powers to the country's parliament.

“Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, has announced in a letter to the people's assembly the transfer of legislative power to the assembly," the cabinet said in statement on Monday.

The lower house of parliament convened for the first time on Monday, two days before the first anniversary of the start of the revolution, which began on January 25 and culminated on February 11 with Mubarak's ouster.

During the marathon parliamentary elections, which ended just days ago, Egypt's two main Islamic parties secured over three quarters of the 498 seats.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) secured the biggest share of seats (47.18) in the parliament while the Islamic al-Nour party finished second with 29 percent of the seats.

During the Monday session, the parliament also elected the FJP's nominee, Mohamed Saad al-Katatni, as speaker of the house.

Egyptian parliament speaker elected

Saad al-Katatni has been elected as speaker of the Egyptian parliament.(File Photo

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/222670.html

The Muslim Brotherhood's Saad al-Katatni has been elected as speaker of the first post-revolution parliament in Egypt.

On Monday, Katatni won 399 votes out of 496 in the first session of the lower assembly, held two days before the first anniversary of the Egyptian revolution.

With 47.18 percent, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the political wing of Muslim Brotherhood, the biggest political party in the country, secured the biggest share of seats in the recently-concluded general elections.

The country's new parliament will also elect a 100-strong body with the task of drafting a new constitution.

The party, which was officially banned under Mubarak's authoritarian rule, has pledged to guide Egypt on the path towards the transition of power to a civilian government.

Over the past months protesters have been staging mass demonstrations, calling on the ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces to hand over power to a civilian authority, accusing it of moving against the country's revolution by using violence against civilians.

SCAF took over after the ouster of the former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak in a popular revolution in January 2011.

Egypt's new parliament to hold first session

An Egyptian man takes pictures inside the parliament's meeting hall in the country's capital Cairo on January 22, 2012.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/222560.html

Egypt's new parliament is preparing to meet for its first session since the country's popular revolution ousted former dictator Hosni Mubarak in February.

The opening session will be held on Monday, two days before the first anniversary of the start of the revolution that began on January 25, 2011 and culminated on February 11 with Mubarak's resignation.

Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the political wing of Muslim Brotherhood, the biggest political party in the country, has secured the biggest share of seats, 47.18, in the recently-concluded general elections. The party, which was officially banned under Mubarak's authoritarian rule, has pledged to guide Egypt in the path towards transition of power to a civilian government.

"It will be a historical session in Egypt's transition to democracy and civilian rule," Mohamed Beltagy, a leading member of the FJP, said before the session, due to begin at 11:00 a.m. local time (0900 GMT).

In Monday's session, the parliament is likely to elect the FJP's nominee, Mohamed el-Katatni, as speaker of the legislature.

The Islamic al-Nour party finished second in the polls with 29 percent of the seats.

The country's new parliament will also elect a 100-strong body with the task of drafting a new constitution.

Egyptian protesters slam US meddling

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/219908.html

Egyptian protesters have condemned the United States' interference in their country's internal affairs, demanding the closure of US embassy in Cairo.

Chanting anti-US slogans, the demonstrators gathered outside the US embassy in the capital Cairo on Saturday to protest what they described as Washington's meddling in their country's internal affairs.

The demonstrators accused the US of meddling in Egypt's recent general elections and called for the expulsion of US ambassador to Cairo.

The protests came a week after Egyptian military forces raided offices of several NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) in Egypt, accusing them of receiving financial support from the US.

The military rulers have said repeatedly they will not tolerate foreign interference in the country's affairs.

Egypt embarked on a three-stage parliamentary election in late November 2011.

The Freedom and Justice Party of the Muslim Brotherhood said on Saturday that it had garnered 35.2 percent of the party list vote in the final stage of the election. Another Islamic party al-Nur said it received 27 percent in the poll held on January 4.

The ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces took over after the ouster of the former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak in a popular revolution in February.

Islamic parties win Egypt third vote

Egyptian women enter a polling center during the third round of the elections for Egypt's parliament, Jan. 4, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/219804.html

Two main Islamic parties in Egypt have announced wining over 60 percent of the vote in the final stage of the parliamentary elections.

The Freedom and Justice Party of the Muslim Brotherhood said on Saturday that it had garnered 35.2 percent of the party list vote. The al-Nur party also said it received 27 percent.

The two Islamic parties took 65 percent of the vote in the first two phases of Egypt's first general election since the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak in February.

Egyptians went to the polls in three stages to choose a new parliament tasked with drafting a new constitution.

Once the new parliament has been sworn in, a commission will be appointed to draft a new constitution before presidential election is held by the end of June.

The elections came in response to increasing public demand for a shift from military rule to a civilian government.

Prosecution seeks death for Mubarak

Former Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak arrives by gurney to court in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/219537.html

Prosecutors have called on the court hearing the case of former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak to hang him for the murder of protesters during the revolution that deposed him nearly a year ago.

Winding up their final arguments on Thursday, prosecutors said the 83-year-old, lying on a stretcher in the defendants' iron cage, bore full responsibility for the killings and should be executed for giving shoot-to-kill orders during anti-government protests.

Prosecutor Mustafa Khater made a passionate plea to the court demanding the death penalty for Mubarak, former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli and four of the police commanders.

They are charged with complicity in the killings of over 800 pro-democracy protesters during the 18-day anti-regime protests that forced Egypt's strongman to quit on February 11, 2011.

“The law punishes premeditated murder with execution. The prosecution demands the maximum punishment," Khater, one of five prosecutors in the case, told the court.

"Retribution is the solution. Any fair judge must issue a death sentence for these defendants," he pleaded.

He said the nation expects the truth, which all people are equal before the law, and that Egyptian blood is no longer cheap.

Khater's appeal came on the final day of court sessions--which began on Tuesday--in which the prosecution presented its case, following months of testimony by witnesses.

Earlier in Thursday's session, chief prosecutor Mustafa Suleiman argued that Mubarak was "politically and legally" responsible for the killing of the protesters.

He stated that Mubarak was aware from meetings with members of his inner circle, regional TV channels and reports by his security agencies that the killing of protesters was taking place but did not order to stop it.

Mubarak is the first Arab leader to stand trial in person since popular uprisings began in the Middle East and North Africa over a year ago.

Cairo comes under curfew after clashes

Egyptian Coptic Christians clash with military forces and police during a protest in Cairo on October 9, 2011.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/203712.html

Egyptian military authorities impose a curfew on parts of the country's capital after clashes between protesting Coptic Christians and military forces killed at least two dozen people.

State TV announced that the night-time curfew, imposed on Monday on Cairo's Tahrir (Liberation) Square as well as the downtown area, would last from 02:00 to 07:00 am (local time), Reuters reported.

The angry demonstrators were rallying against the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). Their major demand was that the military rulers rebuild a church in southern Egypt that was allegedly torched in October.

More than 200 people were also injured during the confrontation.

The casualties were caused after the forces started firing live rounds at the protesters outside the TV's building in the Maspero district.

At least three soldiers were among the fatalities from the clashes, which also saw a number of Army vehicles being set on fire.

The Egyptian military claims that the protesters were armed with deadly weapons.

Prime Minister, Essam Sharaf, meanwhile, said, "What is taking place are not clashes between Muslims and Christians but attempts to provoke chaos and dissent."

Skirmishes have also erupted between government forces and protesters near the hospital in Cairo, where the wounded from the deadly clashes were being treated.

The Coptic Christian minority makes up about 10 percent of Egypt's population.

At least 846 people were killed during Egypt's February revolution, which led to the ouster of the country's former dictator Hosni Mubarak's regime.

The SCAF has refused to hold presidential election within six months of the revolution as it had promised. The military rulers are also yet to determine a clear timetable for transfer of power to a civilian government.

The Egyptians have, meanwhile, started taking to the streets again, saying the public needed to 'reclaim the revolution.

Egypt forces attack football fans

Egyptian protesters clash with riot policemen outside police Hosni Mubarak's court in Cairo, Egypt, September 5, 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/197842.html

Egyptian government forces have attacked football fans chanting slogans against ousted President Hosni Mubarak at a stadium in the capital Cairo.

Reports say scores of people were wounded during clashes between police and al-Ahli club fans late Tuesday after government forces tried to forcibly remove fans from the stadium, Reuters reported.

More than a dozen people were also arrested during the incident.

Egyptians attending the game were also chanting slogans against Mubarak's former interior minister Habib al-Adly.

Both Mubarak and al-Adly are on trial on charges of corruption and ordering the killing of hundreds of demonstrators during the popular revolution in Egypt that led to Mubarak's ouster.

Egypt's ex-president was ousted in February following weeks of anti-government protests in the North African nation that put an end to his three-decade rule.

'Israeli PM meets with Tantawi in secret'

Egypt's head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces Mohamed Hussein Tantawi

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/197528.html

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has secretly met with Egypt's head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, a report says.

Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that the two sides met in secret because of the angry public opinions of Egyptian people toward Israel.

Thousands of Egyptians protested against Tel Aviv outside the Israeli Embassy in Cairo over the killing of five Egyptian policemen in an Israel attack near the border last month.

Cairo had decided to recall its envoy from Tel Aviv to protest the incident. During the secret session, Tantawi intervened and withdrew the decision to recall the Egyptian ambassador from Israel, according to the report. The paper said Tantawi ended the crisis in the last moments.

The two sides also discussed border security and anti-terrorism operations, the report added.

Egypt's revolution in February has put in danger the relations between Cairo and Tel Aviv

Israel sends warships to Egypt border

Israeli soldiers (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196647.html

The Israeli Navy has sent two more warships to the Egypt border in the Red Sea, saying that southern Israel could be attacked from Egyptian soil, a claim denied by Cairo.

“Two naval craft have been sent to the Red Sea,” AP quoted an Israeli military official as saying on Tuesday.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli Defense Forces' (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen Benny Gantz authorized bolstering deployment across the entire southern territories, specifically areas close to the Israeli-Egyptian border.

Meanwhile, areas next to the border have in recent weeks become the scene of increased military build-up described by some security observers as “unprecedented,” after several Israelis were killed in an attack on a number of vehicler near the Egypt border on Aug. 18.

Following the attacks, Israeli officials had claimed that Egypt's grip on Sinai was weakening.

Meanwhile, Egypt's South Sinai Governor Khaled Fouda denied reports that the attackers had opened fire on Israeli vehicles from Sinai.

"The South Sinai governor denied there was any gunfire from Taba towards Eilat port," state television said in reference to the Egyptian Red Sea resort across the border from Eilat.

Egyptians hold massive anti-Israel rally

Egyptians hold a massive anti-Israel rally in Cairo, August 26, 2011.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/195906.html

Tens of thousands of Egyptians have staged a massive anti-Israel protest, demanding an end to the peace-accord between Cairo and Tel Aviv.

Following the Friday Prayers, protesters and activists gathered in several cities and Cairo's Liberation Square to stage a million-man demonstration.

Egyptians called for the expulsion of the Israeli envoy and chanted anti-Israeli slogans.

Since last Thursday when the Israeli military killed five Egyptian security personnel on the Rafah border crossing, anti-Israeli protests have escalated outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo

Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, but the situation has drastically changed since the Egyptian revolution which toppled former dictator Hosni Mubarak. A number of Egyptian political parties are now calling for changes to the peace treaty.

Under the US-backed Mubarak regime, Egypt consistently served Israeli interests and objectives by helping to impose the crippling blockade on the impoverished Gaza strip after the democratically elected Hamas government took control of the territory in 2007.

The crippling blockade on the territory has triggered a humanitarian crisis. The siege has left nearly one and a half million Gazans in dire need of basic supplies.

Egyptians urge freeze of Israel ties

Egyptian protesters gather in front of the Israeli embassy in Cairo, Egypt, August 20, 2011.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/195470.html

Egyptian protesters continue demonstrating in front of the Israeli embassy in the capital Cairo, calling for an end to Egypt's diplomatic ties with Israel.

The demonstrators insisted that they would press ahead with the protests outside the embassy until Tel Aviv's envoy to Cairo, Yitzhak Levanon, is expelled from the country, a Press TV correspondent reported on Wednesday.

The protesters also demanded efforts by Egyptian authorities to halt natural gas exports from Egypt to Israel and revoke the Camp David Accords -- a US-sponsored treaty that was signed in 1978 to establish 'peace' between Cairo and Tel Aviv.

Tensions between Egypt and Israel has climbed since Israeli forces killed five Egyptian border guards on Thursday at Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Minister for military Affairs Ehud Barak on Saturday said “Israel deeply regrets the deaths of the Egyptian officers” after Egypt announced that it would withdraw its ambassador the Tel Aviv if no official apology was made.

Egyptian demonstrators, however, played down Barak's expression of “regret” over the death of Egyptian officers.

The US government earlier dispatched an envoy to Cairo to try to defuse the surging tensions in Egyptian-Israeli relations, which have further deteriorated in the wake of the killings.

Meanwhile, activists across Egypt have called for a huge protest rally on Friday to press the country's ruling military council into meeting their demands.

US threatens to cut Egypt aid over Israel

US Congresswoman Kay Granger

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/195408.html

US Congresswoman Kay Granger has threatened that if Egypt withdraws from its peace treaty with Israel, Washington would cut its USD 2-billion annual aid to Cairo.

“The United States aid to Egypt is predicated on the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, and so the relationship between Egypt and Israel is extremely important,” Granger said in an interview with Jerusalem Post on Monday.

The remark came as tension between Cairo and Tel Aviv increased after Israeli forces killed five Egyptian border guards on Thursday at Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Minister for military Affairs Ehud Barak on Saturday said “Israel deeply regrets the deaths of the Egyptian officers” after Egypt announced it would withdraw its ambassador the Tel Aviv if no official apology was made.

Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, but the situation has changed drastically since the overthrow of Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak in February; and a number of Egyptian political parties have been calling for changes in the peace treaty.

The United States' annual aid has been provided to Egypt since the Cairo-Tel Aviv peace treaty was signed.

Granger also warned that the US would cut the USD 500-million aid it provides to the Palestinian Authority if it would seek to win a UN recognition for a statehood at the UN General Assembly meeting in September.

Granger is the chairwoman of the US House appropriations foreign operations subcommittee, which is the institution in charge if setting the US foreign aid bill.

Anti-Israel rallies continue in Egypt

Photo of anti-Israeli protests in Egypt

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/195084.html

Egyptians carry on their protests against Israel, following Tel Aviv's killing of several Egyptian border guards on the country's soil.

Over 100 anti-Israeli protesters rallied in front of the Israeli embassy in the capital on Sunday, repeating the outraged populace's demand for termination of the country's ties with Israel and expulsion of Israel's ambassador to Cairo, a Press TV correspondent reported.

On Thursday, the Israeli Air Force killed five Egyptian border guards, attacking the vicinity of the country's border crossing with the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip.

The demonstrators have downplayed the Israeli Minister of Military Affairs Ehud Barak's expression of 'regret' over the deaths.

Earlier, a young protester climbed the Israeli embassy's building and pulled down the Israeli flag.

Cairo has also demanded that Israel halt its deadly airstrikes against the Tel Aviv-besieged Gaza.

Also on Thursday, the Israeli military killed at least 16 Palestinians and injured more than 45 others during offensives against the coastal sliver.

The Egyptian protests mark the public's venting their anger over Cairo's 30 years of amity and cooperation with Tel Aviv under Hosni Mubarak -- Egypt's former dictator, who was deposed by a popular revolution earlier in the year.

Israel apologizes to Egypt

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak (C) and Israeli chief of staff Lt. General Benjamin 'Benny' Gantz (L) arrive kilometers away from the southern city of Eilat, on August 18, 2011, following a number of assaults that killed eight Israelis.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/194923.html

The Israeli defense minister has apologized to Cairo for the death of five Egyptian soldiers who were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Thursday.

"Israel deeply regrets the deaths of the Egyptian officers," AP quoted Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak as saying on Saturday.

He made the remarks hours after Egyptian state television announced that Egypt had "decided to withdraw its ambassador to Israel until there is an official apology."

Egypt has also demanded that Israel halt its deadly airstrikes on the impoverished Gaza Strip.

On Friday, angry Egyptian protesters called on their government to cut ties with Israel and expel its ambassador.

On Thursday, Israel began two days of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and Gaza's border with Egypt.

The airstrikes killed five Egyptian officers on Thursday.

Sixteen Palestinians were killed and another 45 were injured in the airstrikes.

Israel claims it launched the attacks in response to assaults that targeted two buses and a military vehicle near the Red Sea resort of Eilat in southern Israel, which left eight Israelis dead.

The attack that killed the Egyptian officers has escalated tension between Egypt and Israel.

Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, but the situation has changed drastically since dictator Hosni Mubarak was deposed in February, and a number of Egyptian political parties are now calling for changes to the peace treaty.

Egypt: Israel violated 1979 peace treaty

A Palestinian boy inspects damages following an Israeli airstrike on Rafah in the Gaza Strip. (File photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/194905.html

Egypt's state media say Israel violated a peace treaty signed between Cairo and Tel Aviv in 1979 after Israeli troops entered Egyptian territory and killed five security personnel.

The international force known as Multinational Force and Observer (MFO), the monitoring force stationed in the Sinai desert under the 1979 treaty, said on Saturday that it has recorded two violations of the treaty committed by Israel.

The MFO said the violations included entering Egyptian territory and firing from the Egyptian side of the border.

The MFO report, however, mentioned nothing about Israel's accusations that militants it was pursuing on Thursday had infiltrated the Negev desert from Egypt.

Egypt, which is the first Arab country to sign a peace deal with Israel in 1979, summoned the Tel Aviv's envoy demanding an apology and an investigation.

Egypt's state television reported on Saturday that the country would recall its ambassador in Tel Aviv.

The death toll for Egypt's military personnel climbed to five on Friday afternoon after two officers that were wounded in the Israeli strike succumbed to death at a hospital.

'Israel prepares for war in Sinai desert'

An Israeli military convoy along the Egyptian border (file photo)

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/194803.html

The former head of Israel's National Security Council (NSC) urges military action by the regime in the Sinai Peninsula, following growing tensions with Egypt.

Uzi Dayan told Israel's Channel 7 on Friday that Israeli military and security forces should prepare for a period different from the past in dealing with the new Egyptian government.

He claimed that the military effort would aim to target those that represent a threat to the Israeli regime.

"This is the time for the Israeli army to prevail its control inside Sinai," Dayan went on to say.

Israeli troops are banned from entering the Sinai Peninsula under a 1979 peace treaty with Egypt.

Tensions have escalated between Cairo and the Tel Aviv regime after Israeli soldiers killed several Egyptian military and security personnel on Thursday.

Dayan also revealed that a meeting was held in the presence of Israeli Army Chief of Staff Benny Jants last week to discuss issues related to Sinai Peninsula but he did not elaborate on details of the talks.

Stressing on preserving the US-sponsored peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, he proclaimed that Israeli officials should "maintain the security of their civilians whilst ensuring that no tensions between Israel and Egypt escalate."

Israeli military must "respond strongly by pursuing the terrorists and to inform the Egyptian government that we may militarily intervene in Sinai" to prevent the Israeli border from becoming a vulnerable zone for militant attacks.

On Saturday, Egypt decided to withdraw its ambassador to Tel Aviv as relations between the two governments remain strained

Iran roundly condemns Israeli airstrikes

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/194777.html

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has strongly condemned Israel's new round of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip that killed and injured several Palestinians.

Mehmanparast said that Israel launched airstrikes to shift the blame onto others for its own problems and to divert public opinion away from the situation in the occupied lands ahead of the International Quds Day.

He called on international organizations, especially human rights bodies, to condemn the Israeli crimes and to use everything within their power to stop the repetition of such attacks.

At least sixteen Palestinians have been killed and dozens left injured over the past two days by Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

The airstrikes began on Thursday, shortly after eight Israelis were killed near the Red Sea resort town of Eilat.

Israeli officials have blamed a Gaza-based militant group called the Popular Resistance Committee (PRC) for Thursday's incident and have vowed a “full force” response targeting Gaza.

Israel said the attackers had infiltrated from the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, although the PRC, which is not affiliated with Hamas, has denied involvement in the incident.

Hamas has said that it had nothing to do with the assault and has warned against any act of aggression against the Gaza Strip.

The International Quds Day is observed on the last Friday of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, during which Muslims across the world hold rallies in support of Palestinians.