Israel downplays Egyptian 'claws'

JERUSALEM, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Israeli officials downplayed Egypt's latest claims it had "claws" capable of retaliating for alleged efforts to harm Egypt's relations with the United States.

"If (the Israelis) continue to push and affect U.S.-Egyptian relations and harm Egyptian interests, Egypt will certainly retaliate and will harm their interests," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said. "We have claws capable of retaliating in all directions and through diplomacy."

Israeli officials said Egypt continued to frustrate Israel's diplomatic efforts at several international venues, so the new comments are nothing new, the Jerusalem Post said Wednesday.

One anonymous Egyptian official pointed to Cairo's attempt to block an Israeli-backed resolution at the United Nations General Assembly regarding agricultural technologies and another instance in which Egypt blocked Israel's admittance to the 2005 quadrennial Mediterranean Games.

"The Egyptians don't want us to feel that there is no longer pressure on us, so that we don't stop dealing with the Palestinians," the official told the Post.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in positive light in a recent interview with the Post saying he was "very satisfied with the agreement and want to preserve it."