Egypt Slams NYT Report About Jerusalem Position

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri slammed the veracity of a New York Times report suggesting Cairo instructed top officials to promote public acceptance of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The newspaper over the weekend published an article claiming it had obtained four audio recordings of an Egyptian intelligence officer encouraging the hosts of several popular talk shows to downplay the significance of the American initiative on their respective programs. In response, Shukri asserted that, “Egypt’s position is consistent and has not changed in support of the Palestinian people,” adding that the accusations were “baseless” and politically motivated. Egypt’s State Information Service likewise denounced the Times piece as irresponsible and insinuated that the officer in question, named as Capt. Ashraf al-Kholi, does not even exist. Egypt was one of 128 countries to vote in favor of a United Nations resolution describing President Trump’s Jerusalem declaration as “null and void” and also sponsored a Security Council resolution to this effect that was vetoed by the Americans. The publication appears to have struck a nerve, however, given the ongoing rapprochement between Mideast Sunni nations and Israel, which share a desire to curb Shiite Iran’s expansionism and potential nuclearization. Some analysts argue that this convergence of interests has prompted regional Muslim nations to prioritize fostering relations with the Jewish state over resolving the Palestinian issue.