Egypt’s Sisi, CIA Director Discuss Ethiopian Dam Crisis

Sisi meets the CIA chief in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency spokesman)
Sisi meets the CIA chief in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency spokesman)
TT

Egypt’s Sisi, CIA Director Discuss Ethiopian Dam Crisis

Sisi meets the CIA chief in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency spokesman)
Sisi meets the CIA chief in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency spokesman)

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stressed his country’s interest in boosting cooperation with the US in various fields, namely on the security and intelligence levels in light of the growing threat of terrorism and extremism.

He made his remarks during a meeting with the Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency William Burns, in Cairo on Sunday.

Developments in Afghanistan and the Palestinian cause, the dispute caused by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and the crisis in Libya were tackled during the meeting, according to spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency Bassam Rady.

Burns expressed his country’s pride in the constructive cooperation and inextricable relations with Egypt, Rady added.

He stressed Washington’s keenness on the continued coordination with Egypt regarding various challenges, especially in light of developments in the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean and Africa.

Separately, Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aty ordered the continuation of work on the national project to rehabilitate canals and transform them into modern irrigation projects.

The minister said the modern irrigation project aims to shift 3.7 million feddans of lands to modern irrigation over three years.

So far, up to 393,000 feddans have adopted the new system.



Israeli Ambassador to US Says Hezbollah Cease-fire Deal Could Come 'Within Days'

Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)
Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)
TT

Israeli Ambassador to US Says Hezbollah Cease-fire Deal Could Come 'Within Days'

Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)
Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)

The Israeli ambassador to Washington says that a cease-fire deal to end fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah could be reached "within days."
Ambassador Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio on Monday that there remained "points to finalize" and that any deal required agreement from the government. But he said "we are close to a deal" and that "it can happen within days."
Among the issues that remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon.
Israel accuses Hezbollah of not adhering to a UN resolution that ended the 2006 war between the sides that made similar provisions, and Israel has concerns that Hezbollah could stage a Hamas-style cross-border attack from southern Lebanon if it maintains a heavy presence there. Lebanon says Israel also violated the 2006 resolution. Lebanon complains about military jets and naval ships entering Lebanese territory even when there is no active conflict.
It is not clear whether Lebanon would agree to the demand.
The optimism surrounding a deal comes after a top US envoy held talks between the sides last week in a bid to clinch a deal.
Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas´ raid on southern Israel, setting off more than a year of fighting. That escalated into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and later an Israeli ground incursion into the country´s south.
Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets into Israeli cities and towns, including some 250 on Sunday.