<p>Suleiman had good ties with Israel's military and the Jewish state would have been happy to see him take over the country, US diplomatic cables passed on to the Daily Telegraph said.<br /><br />The newspaper reported today that leaked cables from American embassies in Cairo and Tel Aviv disclosed the close co-operation between Suleiman and the US and Israeli governments as well as diplomats' intense interest in likely successors to the ageing President Mubarak, 83.<br /><br />The documents reportedly highlight the delicate position which the Egyptian government seeks to maintain in Middle East politics, as a leading Arab nation with a strong relationship with the US and Israel.<br /><br />By 2008, Suleiman, who was head of the foreign intelligence service, had become Israel's main point of contact in the Egyptian government.<br /><br />David Hacham, a senior adviser from the Israeli Ministry of Defence, told the American embassy in Tel Aviv that a delegation led by Israel's defence minister Ehud Barak had been impressed by Suleiman, whose name is spelled "Soliman" in some cables, the report said.<br /><br />But, the report added, Hacham was "shocked" by President Mubarak's "aged appearance and slurred speech".<br /><br />The cable, from August 2008, said: "Hacham was full of praise for 'Soliman', however, and noted that a 'hot line' set up between the MOD and Egyptian General Intelligence Service is now in daily use.<br /><br />"Hacham noted that the Israelis believe Soliman is likely to serve as at least an interim President if Mubarak dies or is incapacitated," it said.<br /><br />The Tel Aviv diplomats added: "We defer to Embassy Cairo for analysis of Egyptian succession scenarios, but there is no question that Israel is most comfortable with the prospect of Omar Soliman".<br /><br />The documents also disclose that Suleiman was stung by Israeli criticism of Egypt's inability to stop arms smugglers transporting weapons to Palestinian militants in Gaza.<br /><br />At one point he suggested that Israel send troops into the Egyptian border region of Philadelphi to "stop the smuggling".<br /><br />"In their moments of greatest frustration, [Egyptian Defence Minister] Tantawi and Soliman each have claimed that the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] would be 'welcome' to re-invade Philadelphi, if the IDF thought that would stop the smuggling," the cable said.</p>
<p>Suleiman had good ties with Israel's military and the Jewish state would have been happy to see him take over the country, US diplomatic cables passed on to the Daily Telegraph said.<br /><br />The newspaper reported today that leaked cables from American embassies in Cairo and Tel Aviv disclosed the close co-operation between Suleiman and the US and Israeli governments as well as diplomats' intense interest in likely successors to the ageing President Mubarak, 83.<br /><br />The documents reportedly highlight the delicate position which the Egyptian government seeks to maintain in Middle East politics, as a leading Arab nation with a strong relationship with the US and Israel.<br /><br />By 2008, Suleiman, who was head of the foreign intelligence service, had become Israel's main point of contact in the Egyptian government.<br /><br />David Hacham, a senior adviser from the Israeli Ministry of Defence, told the American embassy in Tel Aviv that a delegation led by Israel's defence minister Ehud Barak had been impressed by Suleiman, whose name is spelled "Soliman" in some cables, the report said.<br /><br />But, the report added, Hacham was "shocked" by President Mubarak's "aged appearance and slurred speech".<br /><br />The cable, from August 2008, said: "Hacham was full of praise for 'Soliman', however, and noted that a 'hot line' set up between the MOD and Egyptian General Intelligence Service is now in daily use.<br /><br />"Hacham noted that the Israelis believe Soliman is likely to serve as at least an interim President if Mubarak dies or is incapacitated," it said.<br /><br />The Tel Aviv diplomats added: "We defer to Embassy Cairo for analysis of Egyptian succession scenarios, but there is no question that Israel is most comfortable with the prospect of Omar Soliman".<br /><br />The documents also disclose that Suleiman was stung by Israeli criticism of Egypt's inability to stop arms smugglers transporting weapons to Palestinian militants in Gaza.<br /><br />At one point he suggested that Israel send troops into the Egyptian border region of Philadelphi to "stop the smuggling".<br /><br />"In their moments of greatest frustration, [Egyptian Defence Minister] Tantawi and Soliman each have claimed that the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] would be 'welcome' to re-invade Philadelphi, if the IDF thought that would stop the smuggling," the cable said.</p>