Epstein Secrets

ticularly if he was seen to be working for you. We became pretty chummy with all these guys. Traveling with secretaries of state, we always went to Cairo first to consult with our good friend Hosni. Successive CIA station chiefs had very close personal relationships with the king of Jordan. There was

ics. "We are not working by remote control like Israel wants," he said. But Nunu said Western powers have ignored symbolic moves by Hamas, such as Haniyeh's decision to make his first official trip abroad, in January, to Turkey — a country whose electoral democracy and moderate Islamism are serving as

anch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has done little to restrain the fire. In July, former Hamas leader Khaled Meshal met Egypt's new President in Cairo. "We have entered a new era in Palestine's relationship with Egypt," Meshal said after the meeting. "We were happy with what we heard from Presiden

the breaching of the political and economical siege imposed on Gaza for more than five years," Ismail Haniyeh said in receiving the honored guest. Haniyeh holds the title of Prime Minister in Gaza. In the West Bank, the same title is held by Salam Fayyad. They could scarcely be more different. Haniyeh

b El-kheroug this confrontation plunged Egypt into chaos for nine years. But we all know that novelists are prone to exaggeration. The writer is a Cairo-based author Anicic 2. EFTA00671795 The Washington Post gE ypt's military issues decree giving vast powers to armed forces, but few to pres

enjoys continuing support from Hamas members in the West Bank and diaspora, who outnumber those in Gaza. But he is facing a vigorous challenge from Haniyeh, who was once viewed as a figurehead but is now asserting himself as a potent rival. Haniyeh has boosted his international profile this year with t

of Hamas' miscalculations was expecting Egypt to be supportive of its actions, which, when combined with Israel's fear of alienating the regime in Cairo, would allow Hamas to escalate the conflict without it spinning out of control. The hope was not off base. In August, Egyptian President Mohamed E

urely for political reasons. I believe that President Mohammed Mursi knows that this time the war on Gaza is primarily directed at him and not at Haniyeh's government. Israel wants to ensure his obedience from the outset and embarrass him before his citizens and the Arabs, who are watching and wonder

threatened to resort to war if its rights over the Nile's water were encroached upon. Egyptian former foreign minister Ahmed Abul- Gheit warned that Cairo's water rights were a "red line" and threatened legal action if a partial deal was reached. While Egypt and Ethiopia signed a cooperation agreement

ly. Qatari diplomats have asked Egypt to allow raw materials for Qatar's Gaza projects to be sent through the Rafah crossing, Gaza officials said. Haniyeh's office said the Egyptian president approved the arrangement, which could set a precedent for future trade. Egyptian officials were not immediatel

apolis Joint Understanding (27 November 2007) 539 Olmert-Abbas Peace Talks (December 2008) 541 US President Barack Obama’s Speech on a New Beginning (Cairo Speech) (4 June 2009) 542 Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Speech at Bar Ilan University (14 June 2009) 553 Chair’s Summary of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committ

Pi Chronology xxvii 13 June 2007 Shimon Peres is elected President of Israel by the Knesset. 14 June 2007 President Abbas dismisses Prime Minister Haniyeh and declares a state of emergency. 15 June 2007 Hamas takes control over the Gaza Strip in a coup, after several days of violent battles with Fatah