How did the historic meeting between Naftali Bennett and the Egyptian president go?

El presidente de Egipto, Abdelfatah al Sisi, today received the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, in the coastal city of Sharm al-Sheikh, where they discussed issues such as bilateral relations and the Palestinian cause, during the first visit of an Israeli head of government to the Arab country in more than a decade.

According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, during this meeting “The evolution of bilateral relations in various fields” was discussed, as well as “the latest developments at regional and international level, in particular those linked to the Palestinian cause”.

Al Sisi conveyed to Bennett “the importance of the international community’s support for Egypt’s efforts to rebuild the Palestinian territories”, as well as “to maintain calm between the Palestinian and Israeli sides”., according to the note.

For its part, the Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement that Bennett “underlined the important role Egypt plays in maintaining the stability of security in the Gaza Strip and in finding a solution to the problem of prisoners and missing persons.”

Egypt negotiated a truce between Israel and the Hamas terror movement and held talks with their respective delegations to agree on a prisoner exchange, in addition to contributing millions of dollars for the reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave.

Bennett, who took office in June, was invited to Egypt by Al Sisi last month, but so far his visit was undated and has remained secret until today.

January 6, 2011 was the last time an Israeli prime minister visited the land of the pharaohs, and Benjamin Netanyahu then met with Hosni Mubarak, a few weeks before the Egyptian leader’s dismissal.

Egypt has hosted several summits and meetings on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and is the main mediator between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas., which governs the Gaza Strip, bordering Egypt and a source of tension for the Egyptian and Israeli governments.

Sunday, when he proposed “get better“The living conditions of Gazans in exchange for a commitment to”CalmBy Hamas, the head of Israeli diplomacy, Yair Lapid, he still remembered “The vital importance of Egypt.”

This project, he stressed, “It will not see the light of day without the support and participation of Egyptian partners and their ability to speak to all parties concerned.”

According to Nael Shama, an Egyptian specialist in foreign policy, Bennett’s visit represents an “important step in view of the development of economic and security relations” between the two countries and their “common concern” about Gaza, but also for Egypt’s plan to “reactivate political talks between Israel and the United States. Palestinian Authority ”.

(With information from EFE and AFP)

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