Tension between Italy and Egypt has escalated in the months since an Italian graduate student who disappeared from Cairo was tortured and killed, with both sides taking part in a series of retaliations. This week, however, the Egyptian House of Representatives decided to switch gears and take a less disruptive approach to resolving the controversy.
A special committee that was formed to follow up on the murder of Giulio Regeni — comprising members of parliament's defense, human rights and foreign relations committees — recommended July 18 that any future measures taken should employ “calm parliamentary diplomacy” instead of “confrontational diplomacy.”