Independent newspaper Al-Shorouk writes that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees the need to amend the Camp David Accords with Egypt to increase the number of Egyptian troops in Sinai. But it adds that Radio Israel reported Israeli sources as saying that news about potential amendments have no foundation, stressing that the issue is non-negotiable. Sources added that Cairo has not yet demanded the increase of troops in Sinai, with the exception of 1000 soldiers who entered the area to protect the gas pipeline to Israel.
State-run Al-Akhbar also leads with this story. It reports that Israeli radio says the prime minister, during his weekly meeting with the government, stated his willingness to consider any requests concerning this matter. Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz stated that relations with Egypt are strategically important for Israel and therefore all demands must be studied thoroughly. Internal Affairs Minister Eli Yishai added that there has to be cooperation to prevent any attacks on its borders, even if that entails changes to the accords.
Party paper Al-Wafd leads with protesters around the Israeli Embassy in Cairo calling for a third "Friday of Anger" and Netanyahu calling for self-control. Meanwhile, security forces reinforced the area around the embassy with 10 armored vehicles while protesters cleaned the street and evacuated all street vendors from the bridge. It reports that protesters demand halting gas exports to Israel and suspending relations with the country.
Independent Al-Dostour writes that Israel denies any amendments to the accords, that Netanyahu states that there is no need to change them, and that Cairo has not demanded any troop increase in Sinai. Apparently the Israeli prime minister stated that negotiations are taking place with Egypt, but he denied that any changes would be made to the accords, adding that there is no need to change them.
State-run Al-Gomhurriya ignores Israeli statements and leads with stories about an urgent plan to meet the needs of Sinai residents, as well as an agreement with Switzerland to recover the frozen assets of former regime figures. It says the cabinet and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) are due to meet soon to discuss the demands of Sinai residents, which are not specified in the article. It also reports that the cabinet has approved negotiations between the judicial committee formed by SCAF and the Swiss government to recover the frozen assets.
On a different note, Al-Gomhurriya writes that Suzanne Mubarak visited her sons Gamal and Alaa in jail, accompanied by Heidi Rasekh, Alaa Mubarak’s wife; her sister Hanaa and her husband Sherif al-Banna; and Khadija al-Gamal, the wife of Gamal Mubarak. The former president’s secretary Mostafa Shahin also joined.
Independent Al-Dostour gives a more detailed view of the visits and writes that Suzanne Mubarak, Rasekh and Gamal brought cookies and new clothes for Alaa and Gamal in Tora prison. The newspaper adds that a prison service source stated that the former first lady and her daughters-in-law arrived at the prison around 12 pm yesterday, leaving their cars outside the prison gates and taking a bus to the prison doors, where they were searched. The source added that this is her second visit this week, and she carried three bags containing cookies, biscuits, oriental sweets, meat and clothes.
