Report: Netanyahu to meet Egyptian president
Prime minister is expected to meet Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during this week's UN General Assembly in New York, amid continued efforts of Egyptian intelligence to mediate a possible long-term ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Hamas.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide further details. Egyptian officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
However, journalist Yasser Razaq, chairman of the Egyptian Akhbar El Yom newspaper, said the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, adding that al-Sisi is expected to raise the issue of the two-state solution, which in Egypt president’s opinion, should be an essential part of the US peace plan,” the journalist stressed.
Netanyahu travels to New York on Tuesday and will also meet with US President Donald Trump.
Netanyahu and Sisi met in public for the first time in 2017. Egypt was the first of a handful of Arab countries to recognise Israel under a US-sponsored peace accord in 1979 and the two countries maintain close co-ordination on security.
Egypt is heavily involved in trying to mediate a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
A delegation of senior Egyption officials visited the Gaza Strip on Saturday in an effort to renew indirect talks between Hamas and Israel on a possible long-term ceasefire arrangement.
Palestinian sources said the main obstacle to reaching an agreement is a stance of the Palestinian Authority's leader on the issue.
"Egypt's main interest is to reach an intra-Palestinian reconciliation in accordance with President Mahmoud Abbas's demand to remain the only Palestinian representative with whom any understanding can be reached regarding Gaza,” the source stressed.
On Sunday, Gaza's terror group said the ceasefire talks have halted, despite expressing optimism regarding the deal earlier.
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri blamed the impasse on the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, which has voiced its strong opposition to the talks.
Abu Zuhri said that in response, his Islamic militant group is escalating its protests in new locations along Gaza's borders with Israel.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
