Know More About Palestine



Tuesday Feb. 8, 2011 10:58 AM (EST+7)

JERUSALEM, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Israel has long regarded Omar Suleiman, just appointed Egypt's vice president, as its preferred successor to President Hosni Mubarak, according to a US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks.

We defer to Embassy Cairo for analysis of Egyptian succession scenarios, but there is no question that Israel is most comfortable with the prospect of Omar Soliman, said the cable written by the US embassy in Tel Aviv in 2008, using its own spelling for his name.

Suleiman, Egypt's intelligence chief since 1993, has been a frequent visitor to Israel and a mediator in its conflict with the Palestinians.

The United States has thrown its support behind a transition effort launched by Suleiman, appointed by Mubarak as vice president after massive protests calling for an end to the 82-year-old Egyptian leader's 30 years of rule.

The cable, dated Aug. 29, 2008, summarized talks Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak had held with Egyptian leaders in the port city of Alexandria.

It quoted one of Barak's advisers, David Hacham, as saying the Israeli delegation was shocked by Mubarak's aged appearance and slurred speech.

Hacham noted that the Israelis believe Soliman is likely to serve as at least an interim President if Mubarak dies or is incapacitated, the cable said.

Hacham was full of praise for Soliman ... and noted that a 'hot line' set up between the MOD (Israeli Ministry of Defence) and Egyptian General Intelligence Service is now in daily use, it said, adding that Barak had publicly hailed Egypt's efforts to halt arms smuggling to militants in neighboring Gaza.

In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced hope that any new government that emerges in Cairo will maintain the peace, which secured Israel a quiet border with the most populous Arab state and demilitarization of the neighboring Egyptian Sinai. (Writing by Jeffrey Heller; editing by Andrew Roche)

WHAT'S NEW


BACKGROUND


POLLS


WAYS TO GET JMCC


CONTACT US


Subscribe

Al-Madaris St. (same building as
MBC and al-Arabiya studios)
First Floor, Al-Bireh
PO Box 4045, Ramallah
PO Box 25047, Jerusalem 97300
Phone: ++972-2-297-6555
Fax: ++972-2-297-6555
Log in to My JMCC
Email
Password
 or Sign Up
Forgot your password?Close
 My JMCC
Front Page
My Comments Photo of the Day
Calendar Hot Spot(for journalists)
Audio of the Day Video of the Day
Most Popular Historical Timeline
Noticeboard Blogs
My Tags Help Desk
  
User Info
First Name
Last Name
Email
My Tags 
I am a
After signing up,you will receive
an automatically
generated password in your
email.
Close
Recover Password
Submit Your Email
 or Sign Up
Close