Saturday 07/March/2026 – 05:24 AM
The former Egyptian ambassador to Israel, Atef Salem Sayed Al-Ahl, said that he was in Eilat in 2009, and he followed from his position there how the Israeli government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu dealt with the situation, whether during the Gaza war or in light of the tension existing at that time in Lebanon, as well as with regard to the deal to exchange the soldier Gilad Shalit.
Gilad Shalit deal
The master of the family explained during an interview with journalist and media writer Samir Omar on the Secret Session program, broadcast on the Cairo News Channel, that they were following the details of the Shalit deal through reports and correspondence exchanged between the various parties, in addition to what was received by them from the embassy, indicating that they were not a direct party in the negotiations, but they were aware of what was going on, and they would take action if they were asked for any role at that stage.
Regarding the role of the General Consulate in Eilat, he said that it is the only Egyptian consulate abroad whose jurisdiction extends to include inside and outside Israel as far as Sharm El-Sheikh, according to a presidential decision, given that some Israelis enter Sharm El-Sheikh through the Taba port with a special entry stamp, adding that any events that occur in this geographical scope fall within the jurisdiction of the consulate.
