Egypt Launches Large-Scale Arab Project, Challenging Israel’s Ambitions

Egyptian Minister of Transport Kamel Al-Wazir announced the launch of the Arab Trade line in cooperation with Jordan and Iraq through Egyptian ports.

During his speech at the opening of the Tahya Misr multi-purpose station in the port of Alexandria, in the presence of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, he said: “We have developed a cooperation protocol while operating the Arab Trade line. to transport goods from Jordan, Iraq and the Gulf countries, by land transport to the Aqaba area, and we from the Aqaba region to Taba, by ferries, in order to maximize the number of ports and trade flows.

The minister emphasized that “coordination has been made with all security agencies and military forces to maximize trade and ports and serve our brothers in the Gulf region, especially Jordan and Iraq, to ​​transfer their exports to the world through Egyptian ports. “

He added that the Arab Trade Line is designed to transport goods from Jordan, Iraq and the Gulf countries by land and by rail to the Aqaba region.

He explained that the Arab Bridge Shipping Company transports goods from Jordan, Iraq and the Gulf countries, from Aqaba to Taba and Nuweiba, using the company’s ferries owned by Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.

He indicated that the line facilitates the transfer of Jordanian and Iraqi exports to America and all European countries, announcing an agreement with partners in the CMA company to transport the void system on ships that call in the Port Said area.

He referred to coordination with all security agencies and military forces, adding: “We are moving from junction 1; either we enter the east of Port Said, or we pass through the tunnels and cross to the west of Port Said.

He stressed the line’s importance in maximizing trade and ports in the Mediterranean, linking Bahrain, serving brothers in the Gulf countries, Jordan and Iraq, and transporting all Jordanian and Iraqi exports through Egyptian ports to all European countries.

Egypt is resurrecting the idea of ​​extending a new railway linking Al Arish, Taba and East Port Said, which will help ease the transport of goods.

The project will deal a major blow to Israel’s high-speed train project, which will link the Red Sea and the Mediterranean through the port of Eilat.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli government’s ambitious project, which was included in government coalition agreements, would cost about 25 billion shekels. “.

Jewish newspaper transport editor Roy Rubinstein said building a line from Beit Shean to Eilat for 250 km/h trains would be a very positive step for the Israeli economy and a strong competitor to neighboring countries’ projects.

He pointed out that two weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Transportation Minister Miri Regev agreed on the planned route of the train, under which an agreement was signed, indicating that the budget for the construction of the line – about 25 billion shekels – according to the government’s expectations, will come from international agreements and Arab investments, as well as foreign ones with several countries due to the connection of the track with the “peace train line” that will travel from the United Arab Emirates through other countries to Israel.

Source: Egyptian media.