'Israel seeking firewall on negative forces outside Egypt'

Danny Ayalon applauds Egyptians' strive for democracy but cautions on outside influences, warns "we should not forget Iranian threat."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Danny Ayalon 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Danny Ayalon 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Israel is seeking "a firewall on negative forces outside Egypt," Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said during an interview with the BBC posted on their website Monday.
Ayalon was speaking in reaction to the revolution in Egypt and said that he applauded what the Egyptian people have been striving for and commended their desire for democracy.
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The deputy foreign minister did, however caution on outside influences on Egypt, especially from Tehran.
"We should not forget the threat that Iran poses," Ayalon said during the interview. 
When asked about the relationship between the Muslim Borhterhood and Iran, Ayalon said that "this is something that Egypt needs to decide."
Click for full Jpost coverage of Egypt
Click for full Jpost coverage of Egypt
Ayalon explained that the Muslim Brotherhood have influenced Lebanon, Yemen and the Palestinian Authority. He said that "the international community should be focused on this."
"Iran is very capable, through the Revolutionary Guard, of making things more difficult, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan," Ayalon said. "We want to make sure that they don't do this in Egypt too," he explained.
"We are still watching what is happening. We need to make sure that this period of transition is not abused by Iran and also by Hamas and Hezbollah," the deputy foreign minister said.
When addressing the peace process, Ayalon called on the Palestinians "to come with good faith to the negotiating table where everything is on the table."