Egypt wary of Israel's eye on Sinai

CAIRO, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- The Egyptian ambassador to the Palestinian Authority says he thinks Israel is plotting to retake control of the Sinai Peninsula, a report said.

In an interview with the Palestinian news agency Maan, Ambassador Yasser Othman said Israel is boosting rhetoric about lawlessness in Sinai as a pretext to taking control of the area, The Jerusalem Post reported Friday.

Othman said Israeli operations in Gaza were making it more difficult for Egypt to stabilize Sinai.

Israel, which returned Sinai to Egypt under a 1979 peace treaty, has increased military forces and surveillance equipment along the border due to recent violence, the newspaper said.