Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt has firmly denied media reports suggesting that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is planning to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the United States, while also rejecting attempts to frame a recently discussed gas agreement between the two countries as politically motivated.
Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS), said there were no arrangements or communications of any kind regarding a possible meeting between the Egyptian and Israeli leaders. Speaking in a televised interview on Thursday evening, Rashwan dismissed what he described as unfounded claims circulating in some American and Israeli media outlets.
“To the best of my knowledge, there are no preparations or contacts whatsoever for such a meeting,” Rashwan said, stressing that Egypt has not entered into any bilateral political understandings with Israel. He emphasized that any discussions involving Egypt and Israel are situated within the broader context of the Palestinian issue, which he described as an Arab and international cause rather than a bilateral matter.
Rashwan’s remarks came amid heightened scrutiny of Egypt–Israel relations following Israeli statements about a gas deal between the two countries. Addressing language in a recent SIS statement that described the deal as “still under discussion,” Rashwan clarified that while the Israeli side has publicly announced its approval of the agreement, including confirmation from Prime Minister Netanyahu himself, Egypt has not yet issued a final endorsement.
“Egypt has clear and well-defined institutional mechanisms for dealing with such economic and commercial agreements,” Rashwan said. He added that the relevant Egyptian authorities are currently reviewing the deal and that Cairo has not yet announced formal ratification or final approval.
The State Information Service has repeatedly underlined that the gas agreement is purely commercial in nature, based solely on economic and investment considerations, and carries no political dimensions or understandings of any kind. According to Rashwan, the clarification was necessary to counter attempts to attach political implications to what he described as a straightforward business transaction.
Rashwan noted that the deal represents an extension of previous agreements between Egypt and Israel related to the import of natural gas. He said it serves Egyptian national interests, particularly by maximizing the use of Egypt’s extensive gas infrastructure and liquefaction facilities. These capabilities, he added, reinforce Egypt’s position as the leading regional energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.
At the same time, Rashwan categorically rejected claims linking the gas deal to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza. He stressed that Egypt’s stance on the Palestinian–Israeli conflict has remained consistent and unambiguous from the outset of the war.
“Egypt was the first country to warn the world about plans for forced displacement and the liquidation of the Palestinian cause,” Rashwan said, describing Cairo’s position as among the strongest globally in opposing such scenarios. He argued that maintaining existing economic or commercial dealings, established well before the current conflict, does not signal any shift in Egypt’s political position regarding Israeli actions in Gaza.
In fact, Rashwan pointed out that some Israeli officials had previously called for halting the gas deal in response to Egypt’s outspoken political opposition to the war. He said these earlier Israeli reactions undermine claims that the agreement reflects political coordination or rapprochement.
Rashwan accused Netanyahu of attempting to politicize the gas deal in recent public statements and press conferences. According to him, the Israeli prime minister is seeking to project an image of Israel breaking out of diplomatic isolation by highlighting economic agreements and fueling speculation about high-level meetings.
“This politicization serves to give the impression that Israel is no longer isolated,” Rashwan said, linking Netanyahu’s comments on the gas deal to the parallel circulation of reports about a supposed meeting with President Sisi, reports Egypt has now unequivocally denied.
The State Information Service reiterated in its official statement that the gas agreement remains a commercial transaction devoid of political implications. Egyptian officials, Rashwan concluded, will continue to draw a clear line between economic cooperation conducted under longstanding frameworks and Egypt’s steadfast political position on the Palestinian cause and the war in Gaza.
