Prominent Israeli politician praises General Al-Sisi for tightening siege on Gaza

The chairman of Israel’s Labour Party, Isaac Herzog, has praised Egypt’s Defence Minister General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi for pressuring the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas by imposing a stricter siege on the Gaza Strip, where the movement rules. Herzog said that Al-Sisi’s attitude helps to “lay the groundwork for a political settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict which serves Israel’s interests.”

Herzog told Israeli radio on Sunday that: “We follow with interest what General Al-Sisi and other regional Arab powers do to re-shape the Palestinian internal reality in a way that serves reaching a settlement for the conflict.” Herzog explained that it is not possible to reach a political settlement “as long as Hamas is committed to its current positions”. He also pointed out that before a peace agreement can be reached, the issue of Palestinian political representation, including in the Gaza Strip and the diaspora, first needs to be addressed.