Clinton Hopes Cairo Committed to Israel Treaty
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she hopes that Cairo will be committed to the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. Clinton wrapped up a nine-nation tour in Israel early Tuesday.
Many analysts here saw her stopover in Israel as a political move coming just two weeks ahead of a visit by presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Clinton told reporters in Jerusalem about her time in Cairo, where she met with the newly elected Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi and Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi.
"The United States and the international community look to the new leaders of Egypt to play a constructive role in advancing regional peace and security in particular by upholding their international agreements, including the peace treaty with Israel," Clinton said.
"It's obvious that both Israel and Egypt, along with the region and indeed the world, all share a strong interest and commitment to this treaty, which has served as a backbone for regional stability for more than three decades," she said.
The Muslim Brotherhood has sent mixed messages about the treaty with Israel -- the first treaty that Israel had ever signed with an Arab nation.
There have been increased attacks from the Sinai Desert along Israel's southern border with Egypt during the last year. Israel has stepped up construction of a border fence there to help prevent infiltrations of both terrorists and migrant workers.
While in Egypt, Clinton's motorcade was pelted with tomatoes and shoes. The secretary of state said she was sorry for the wasted tomatoes but not particularly bothered by the protests.
