He has helped Israel further isolate the Hamas militants ruling the Gaza Strip, the tiny slice of Palestinian territory wedged between Egypt and Israel. “This is one of the best times we’ve ever had” in terms of cooperation between governments, said Koren, a veteran diplomat and fluent Arabic speaker posted here since 2014. But the vast majority of them — including a cook wearing a Star of David T-shirt — were embassy employees. Israeli military officials believe that despite ideological differences, Hamas militants in Gaza are cooperating with extremists affiliated with Islamic State or other armed groups in Egypt’s neighboring Sinai region. Israel often praises Sissi for his tough stance on militants, and considers him a key ally in what it sees as a shared battled against Islamic extremists.

Source: Washington Post July 04, 2016 17:37 UTC