Egyptian FM meets Netanyahu in rare Israel visit
Al Jazeera News :
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, the first such visit in nearly a decade.
Speaking at a news conference on Sunday alongside Netanyahu, Shoukry called for renewed peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials, and warned of the “constant deterioration” of the situation on the ground since the last round of negotiations between the two sides collapsed in April 2014.
“My visit to Israel today is a continuation of Egypt’s long-standing sense of responsibility towards peace for itself and all the peoples of the region, particularly the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, who have suffered many decades due to the perpetuation of the conflict between them,” Shoukry, the first Egyptian official to visit Israel since 2007, said.
“The plight of the Palestinian people becomes more arduous every day,” he added. “The dream of peace and security moves further out of the Israeli people’s reach as long as the conflict continues.”
At the press conference, Netanyahu called on Palestinians “to follow the courageous example of Egypt and Jordan and join us for direct negotiations”.
Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab countries to have signed peace treaties with Israel.
Palestinian leaders say years of direct talks with Israel have not ended the nearly 50-year occupation of Palestinian territories, and they have instead chosen to pursue international diplomacy to reach a deal.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, the first such visit in nearly a decade.
Speaking at a news conference on Sunday alongside Netanyahu, Shoukry called for renewed peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials, and warned of the “constant deterioration” of the situation on the ground since the last round of negotiations between the two sides collapsed in April 2014.
“My visit to Israel today is a continuation of Egypt’s long-standing sense of responsibility towards peace for itself and all the peoples of the region, particularly the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, who have suffered many decades due to the perpetuation of the conflict between them,” Shoukry, the first Egyptian official to visit Israel since 2007, said.
“The plight of the Palestinian people becomes more arduous every day,” he added. “The dream of peace and security moves further out of the Israeli people’s reach as long as the conflict continues.”
At the press conference, Netanyahu called on Palestinians “to follow the courageous example of Egypt and Jordan and join us for direct negotiations”.
Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab countries to have signed peace treaties with Israel.
Palestinian leaders say years of direct talks with Israel have not ended the nearly 50-year occupation of Palestinian territories, and they have instead chosen to pursue international diplomacy to reach a deal.
