Coverage of Egypt in the international press focuses largely on foreign affairs this morning. Of particular note: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has told Israel that he is going to “aggressively promote legislation next month aimed at cutting funding to two key allies of the Jewish state – the Palestinian Authority and Egypt,” according to a report in the Jerusalem Post. It could be the first test of relations between US president-elect Donald Trump and President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and will surely try the patience of those in the Republican establishment that had expected a return to an interests-based, America-first foreign policy in Washington.

Meanwhile, Al Monitor writes that the rift between Cairo and Riyadh has left Israel concerned, wire coverage of the State Commissioners’ suggestion that Tiran and Sanfir should remain Egyptian is getting wide pickup, and both Russia and China moved against Egypt, New Zealand and Spain at the UN Security Council, nixing a motion that would have called for a weeklong truce in Aleppo.
Finally, the deepening Sino-Egyptian relationship (outside of the UN veto, at least) is a cornerstone of China’s effort to attract new allies in regions once dominated by US and European interests, writes Zaynab El Bernoussi for Project Syndicate.