A former Israeli ambassador to Cairo, David Govrin, claims Egypt is increasing military build-up in the Sinai in violation of the 1979 peace agreement.
Govrin, who served as Israel’s ambassador to Cairo from July 2016 to May 2019, claimed Egypt was sending more troops into Sinai than stipulated in the annex of the treaty.
He warned on Monday in an interview with the Hebrew news site, Ynet, on during the publication of his new book, Partnership in the Shadow of Rivalry, that Egypt was investing huge amounts of money in military build-up, even as no other country threatens it and despite its tough economic conditions.
A fluent speaker of Arabic, Govrin was posted to Egypt at a tough time for the populous Arab country, both economically and at the level of security. Almost six months after he submitted his credentials, succeeding Haim Koren, Govrin had to fly back home, together with his small embassy staff, because of unspecified security threats.
He could only return to the Egyptian capital eight months later, apparently after these threats subsided down.
