Three months into the Egyptian revolution, Israel is concerned that the new government's policy toward Israel could become hostile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told European Union ambassadors last week in Jerusalem.
"I am very concerned over some of the voices we've been hearing from Egypt recently," Netanyahu told the envoys. "I'm especially concerned over the current Egyptian foreign minster's statements."
Netanyahu's remarks echo the opinions of some senior Foreign Ministry officials following statements made by senior Egyptian officials and demonstrations of thousands of Egyptians outside Israel's embassy in Cairo and its consulate in Alexandria.
A senior Foreign Ministry official said a few senior Egyptian officials have uttered harsh statements in the past two weeks and even called Israel "the enemy." Egyptian Finance Minister Samir Radwan, for example, referring to the possibility of Israeli investments in Egypt, said Egypt did not need investments from "the enemy."
This statement angered Israel, especially in view of Egyptian requests in the past months for help in investments or in receiving more aid from the U.S. Congress.
A minister from the forum of seven told Haaretz in Israel there are fears that as the September elections in Egypt draw closer, candidates will make harsh anti-Israel statements to win favor from the public.
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