Israel welcomes Sisi's treaty uphold pledge, Sinai crackdown
High-level Israeli sources on Saturday welcomed a commitment by Egyptian presidential frontrunner Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to uphold a peace treaty with Israel.
The sources voiced hope that the peace deal between Israel and Egypt will expand to cover economic and civilian fields should Sisi is elected Egypt's president.
The Israeli sources also welcomed an ongoing Egyptian military crackdown on militants and weapons trafficking in the Sinai Peninsula and the destruction of underground tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
Speaking in a TV interview earlier this week, Sisi, a former army chief, said that he will continue to uphold the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.
Sisi, who led the army to unseat elected president Mohamed Morsi last July, is widely expected to win the upcoming presidential election on May 26-27. His only rival is leftist politician Hamdeen Sabbahi.
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The Egyptian military is engaged in a counter insurgency campaign against militants in the Sinai Peninsula near Israel's border who have killed hundreds of security personal, and also attacked Israel.
Israel has also voiced support for a crackdown by Egypt on smuggling tunnels linking Sinai with the Palestinian Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas.
Hamas has been banned in Egypt and it is accused of involvement in attacks and prison breaks in the country during the 2011 uprising against veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak. Hamas strongly denies the charges, saying they are trumped up and politically motivated.
Scores of its alleged militants are standing trial, in absentia, with the now detained Morsi on related charges.
Sisi said the military's campaign had destroyed most of the smuggling tunnels to Gaza.
"I want to tell Egyptians: don't let the situation and feelings against Hamas affect your historic position on the Palestinian cause," Sisi said in the television interview.
Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel.
"Let [the Israelis] just make us happy by giving something for the Palestinians," Sisi said, when asked if he would receive an Israeli prime minister or visit the neighbouring country if elected.
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