Egyptian authorities arrest Israeli citizen in South Sinai

Another Israeli citizen arrested in Egypt, is apparently seeking political asylum Egyptian authorities have arrested an Israeli man for illegally entering the country through the border in South Sinai, it has emerged. Security forces have confirmed that they are currently detaining 29-year-old Israeli citizen Ibrahim Shlomi, who was arrested on Saturday, as he tried to cross the border at the Taba checkpoint.
Shlomi, who lives in Jerusalem and is of Moroccan descent, apparently claimed he was travelling to Egypt to attend the annual Abu Hasira festival.
The festival celebrates the life of leading Moroccan-Jewish rabbi Abu Hasira, is known for embarking on a pilgrimage from his native country across Arab world, through Egypt, Libya and Tunisia.
Security forces revealed that they have notified the Israel embassy and expect Shlomi to be held for a further two weeks, while they conduct investigations.
The border police also admitted to arresting another person on Saturday, named locally as Ahmed Gamal Daief - an Israel citizen of Arab descent.  Daief, who tried to enter via the same Taba checkpoint as Shlomi, is apparently seeking political asylum in Egypt, saying that as a Muslim he faces persecution and repression by Israeli authorities because of his religious practices.
Since the revolution that toppled former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, concerns have been raised about the weakening security surrounding the Sinai border with Israel.