Yediot Ahronot: Israel makes territorial claims on disputed sea area with Egypt
Egypt-Israel, Politics, 3/8/2003

A diplomatic crisis has been loomed in the horizon in the "sensitive" relations between Egypt and Israel after Tel Aviv had decided "ultimately" to consider one naval area under dispute, situated on the Egyptian- Israeli borders and named "the naval triangle" as an Israeli area.

The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot said yesterday that following years of differences between various Israeli ministries, especially the ministries of foreign affairs and the internal security, Israel has reached this decision "which will have various implications in that the Israeli police will be able to take legal measures against the Casino ships which arrive in the area coming from Eilat city in southern Israel."

However, the difference on the sea borders between Israeli and Egypt has exploded following the peace agreements signed between the two sides. Israel claimed that the sea borders with Egypt is an extension to the land borders, while the Egyptians asked for defining other points.

The Israeli paper explained that "despite the claim that the sea area under dispute is for Egypt, however, the Egyptian ships have been careful not to sail in it and anchor south to it. On the other hand, the ships of the Israeli naval forces do not sail in the area." The paper added that "because the ( Israeli) foreign ministry is the side responsible for defining the border areas for the State, it had refused to declare officially that the 'triangle' is an Israeli area, for fears of damaging the already sensitive relations with Egypt. Casino ships sailed from the Eilat city port which overlooks the Red Sea."

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