The Egyptian flag on the roof of the Egypt embassy in Tel Aviv, next to an Israeli flag from a nearby resident's balcony, August 20, 2011. (Reuters)
Egyptian ambassador returns to Israel after 3-year hiatus
Israel reopened its embassy in Cairo, four years after it was ransacked by a crowd protesting the deaths of Egyptian policemen
Israel says Egypt has sent a new ambassador after a three-year hiatus.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday that the ambassador, Hazem Hairat, arrived on Friday.
Israel and Egypt signed a historic peace accord in 1979, but relations have often been cool.
Egypt withdrew its ambassador in November 2012 to protest an Israeli offensive against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.
At the time, Egypt was led by Islamist President Mohammed Mursi. Since Mursi was ousted by the military in 2013, relations have steadily improved.
In September, Israel reopened its embassy in Cairo, four years after it was ransacked by a crowd protesting the deaths of five Egyptian policemen killed unintentionally by Israeli forces chasing a group of Gaza militants.
