Israel happy with Salafist Nour Party's intention to uphold peace treaty
Ahram Online, Sunday 25 Dec 2011
Speaking to Israeli radio, the spokesman of the Salafist El-Nour Party has affirmed that the party respects the Camp David peace treaty with Israel


The Salafist Nour Party’s proclamation that they will respect the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel has gained the approval of Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz

Steinitz had previously said that Israel is “concerned” about the results of parliamentary elections in Egypt that saw the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and the Salafist El-Nour Party win the bulk of the seats.

Steinitz said he hoped Egypt “will not shift to some kind of Islamic tyranny".

However, after El-Nour Party released a statement Saturday announcing their intention to respect the treaty, Steinitz said he is happy with their stance.

Additionally, Yossry Hamad, the official spokesperson of El-Nour Party, further calmed Israeli fears by giving an interview to Israeli radio, where he stressed once again that the group will respect the treaty.

“We do not object to the treaty and we believe that Egypt is committed to all treaties signed by former governments,” Hamad said.

However, Steinitz was not happy about El-Nour’s insistence that they will use all legitimate means to amend “unfair clauses” in the agreement.

Speaking on Israeli radio Sunday morning, the Steinitzsaid he is against any amendments to the agreement and expressed hope that post-Mubarak Egypt does not become a threat to Israel.

El-Nour Party has already said in a statement in that the golden age of Egypt-Israel relations under Mubarak will not come back, with the group insisting that they will reject all attempts at normalisation with Israel or any form of dialogue with the country.

“The party’s stance towards this issue does not contradict Egypt’s duty towards the Arab and Islamic world, which is to fight for their rights, especially the rights of our brothers in Palestine,” the statement had said.

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