Last update - 00:00 09/10/2007
Yishai, Mubarak discuss efforts to free captive IDF soldiers
By Reuters
Industry, Trade and Labor Minister and Shas Chairman Eli Yishai on Tuesday gave Hosni Mubarak a message from his party's spiritual leader, asking the Egyptian president to take action toward securing the release of captive Israeli soldiers.
"It is clear to me that your status will bring the anticipated results," read the message from Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
"Your status and experience will triumph over those organizations that are holding Israelis - Gilad Shalit, Ehud Golwasser and Eldad Regev, as well as other captives," Yosef said. Israel Defense Forces corporal Gilad Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants in June 2006; Goldwasser and Regev were seized by Hezbollah some three weeks later.
Yishai met in Cairo with Mubarak and the head of Egyptian Intelligence Omar Suleiman, and discussed with them the negotiations with the Palestinians over the release of Shalit.
In his message to the president, Yosef wrote that "as a spiritual leader who takes upon himself the cares of any man in trouble, I feel it is my duty as a Jew to turn to you on this matter. I am also certain that you will comply with my request and do everything in your power to help."
Yishai called the families of the three captive soldiers upon completing his meetings in Cairo and briefed them on Yosef's message and the details of his meeting with Mubarak regarding the release of the soldiers.
Egypt and Israel sign deal easing access to U.S. market
Egypt and Israel signed an agreement on Tuesday making it easier for Egyptian-based companies to win exemption from duties and quotas when
exporting goods to the United States.
Egyptian and Israeli ministers agreed to cut to 10.5 percent from 11.7 percent the minimum proportion of Israeli components in goods which are eligible for the exemptions, Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid told a news conference.
They also agreed to ask U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab to extend the special market access arrangements to companies based in eight provinces south of Cairo, he added.
Unlike the reduction in the Israeli input, the geographical extension of the arrangements to new areas requires negotiations with the U.S. side, he added.
Egypt enjoys the exemptions under a Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) agreement signed with Israel and the United States in 2004. The aim was to promote economic cooperation between Israel and Egypt and help Israeli companies export.
Since the agreement came into effect in February 2005, 203 Egyptian-based companies have exported to the United States eligible goods worth $1.28 billion, the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry said.
Rachid, who signed the agreement with Yishai during the Israeli minister's Cairo visit, said the reduction was a good first step. "It will not be the last reduction," he added.