A USA official said Kerry wanted to explore in more detail a proposal on Tuesday by Sisi to mediate a reconciliation between rival Palestinian factions to pave the way toward a lasting peace accord with the Israelis.
Advertisement
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union) are reportedly planning a joint trip to Cairo for a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that is aimed at jump-starting the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Furthermore, the Egyptian president implied that resolving the conflict with the Palestinians will also incur a warmer relationship between his own country and Israel.
“Israel is prepared to cooperate with Egypt and with other Arab states to advance the diplomatic process and the stability in the region”, Netanyahu said. “I appreciate President al-Sisi’s work and also draw encouragement from his leadership on this important issue”.
“I say we will achieve a warmer peace if we resolve the issue of our Palestinian brothers… and give hope to the Palestinians of the establishment of a state”, Sisi said.
“There is an Arab initiative, there is now a French initiative, and there are American efforts” to broker an Israeli-Palestinian settlement, he said.
Sisi, who rarely speaks publicly about foreign policy, offered the 2002 Arab peace initiative as a potential way ahead.
The Arab peace plan offers Israel full recognition by Arab states in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal from territory it captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
“I say to our Palestinian brothers, you must unite the different factions in order to achieve reconciliation, and quickly”, said Sisi, referring to the Gaza-ruling Palestinian terror group Hamas and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.
Advertisement
Addressing Israelis and their government, el-Sissi said there was a “real opportunity” for peacemaking although some in Israel did not think peace is now necessary given the turmoil in the region. “It is vital to listen to the Egyptian president and take a serious and responsible look at this opportunity”.
