Egypt cuts most ties with Israel

Egypt today cut all but diplomatic contacts with Israel over the incursion into the West Bank.

Minister of Information Safwat el-Sherif said Egypt would limit its contacts with Israel to those that ‘‘serve the Palestinian cause.’’

Egypt, one of only three Arab states with diplomatic relations with Israel, has been under pressure to cut its diplomatic ties altogether and freeze its 1979 peace treaty with the Jewish state.

Today’s step fell short of cutting ties and may have more symbolic than practical meaning given that Israel and Egypt already have little more than diplomatic relations.

Egypt recalled its ambassador to Tel Aviv, leaving only a charge d’affaires, more than a year ago in protest at the violence that erupted in September 2000.

Israeli embassy spokesman Madav Cohen said in Cairo that there would have no comment until it had been officially informed of the move.

He said if Egypt decided to suspend contacts with Israel, ‘‘they have to inform us, we are not going to follow them to ask them. There are rules about how to inform us officially.’’

Despite the peace treaty, Egyptian-Israeli relations are cool. Egypt’s professional syndicates have expelled members for visiting Israel. Egyptian actors and singers vehemently denounce claims they visited Israel as malicious rumours meant to damage their reputation.

Demonstrators demanding Egypt expel the Israeli ambassador have clashed with police in Cairo in recent days.