Anger over Israeli host on Egyptian TV

Egyptian Information Minister Salah Abdel-Maksoud Cairo - Akram Ali Egyptian Information Minister Salah Abdel-Maksoud has ordered an investigation into the presence of an Israeli commentator on Nile News channel on Tuesday. Israeli commentator Eyal Alyma was invited to discuss the Sinai attacks, which killed 16 Egyptian officers and soldiers. Abdel-Maksoud issued instructions not to host any Israeli figures in Egyptian television or radio. The channel had contacted a number of analysts, Egyptians and Palestinians, in addition to the Israeli analyst to comment on the terrorist attack on a military point in Egyptian Rafah. In a statement to Arabstoday, Head of Nile news Channel Sameh Rajah said that the aim was to have a balanced discussion. He wanted to give an opportunity to Israel to defend themselves, as they also have been accused of the attacks in Rafah. Rajai said he knew it would be delicate to host an Israeli commentator on his show given the situation, but he believed that it was professionally acceptable. He added that if he’d known the outcome, he would not have gone through with it. Rajai also added that Al-Jazeera regularly hosts Israeli officials to fulfill their unbiased stance, but that it was a bad time for Nile News to replicate it.