Israel Marks 30 Years of Peace With Egypt

In this file photo taken March 26, 1979, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat,left, U.S. President Jimmy...

In this file photo taken March 26, 1979, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat,left, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin clasp hands on the north lawn of the White House as they completed signing of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. When Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin shook hands with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat on the White House lawn on March 26, 1979, ordinary Israelis saw not only an end to war with their largest neighbor but also the hope of warm relations with the people next door.Things haven't quite worked out that way. This week, the countries mark the 30th anniversary of what is known in Israel as the "cold peace."(AP Photo/Bob Daugherty,File)

(AP)

When Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin shook hands with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat on the White House lawn on March 26, 1979, ordinary Israelis saw not only an end to war with their largest neighbor but also the hope of warm relations with the people next door.

Things haven't quite worked out that way. This week, the countries mark the 30th anniversary of a historic treaty that has come to be known in Israel as the "cold peace."

Israel's government warns Israeli tourists not to visit Egypt because of threats by Islamic militants. Business and cultural ties are minimal, Egyptians with professional relations with Israel must hide the fact or face censure, and Egypt is barely acknowledging the anniversary.

Yet over three decades, the frosty relationship has given the two neighbors exactly what they need: peace and stability with what was once their most formidable enemy.

"The peace agreement has proved itself over the years," Shlomo Cohen, Israel's ambassador to Egypt, said Wednesday. "There are some problems expanding it, but all in all, on the security, political, economic and other levels, the peace agreement is definitely active and positive."

The two countries' militaries meet regularly to coordinate defense issues, such as the long, largely unfenced desert border as well as the Gaza Strip's volatile southern border with Egypt. There are active joint committees on economics and agriculture, and thousands of Egyptians have come to Israel for agricultural training, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. The agreement has also brought Egypt billions of dollars in U.S. aid.

While Egypt frequently criticizes Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, the Cairo government acts as an important mediator between Israel and its Arab enemies. Egypt is currently trying to arrange a cease-fire and prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza. It also is hosting reconciliation talks between Hamas and its Western-backed Palestinian rival, Fatah.