Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
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In a statement on Sunday, Egypt’s foreign ministry said Shoukry’s visit was part of a push by Cairo to restart peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel.
He added that he was ready and willing to take up an offer by el-Sisi’s for an Egyptian leadership role in peace talks.
Sisi recently made a high-profile speech calling for a resumption of efforts to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
In a news conference with Shoukry, Netanyahu called on the Palestinians “to follow the courageous example of Egypt and Jordan and join us for direct negotiations”.
Israel has demanded tighter security measures from the Palestinians.
Direct talks on Palestinian statehood collapsed in 2014. However, the French efforts are still troubled.
“We’re familiar with the American position; we don’t accept it. Building in Jerusalem and Maale Adumim is not, with all due respect, distancing peace”, Netanyahu said on Wednesday at a press conference in Rwanda, referring to an illegal settlement near Jerusalem, Al-Jazeera reported.
Nearly four decades after their peace accord changed the face of the Middle East, Israel and Egypt are slowly turning a cool relationship into an alliance.
“If implemented, the achievement will have a far reaching, dramatic and positive impact on the overall situation in the Mideast region”, he said.
The initiative aims at establishing an independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds (occupied East Jerusalem) as its capital, the spokesman said.
The Egyptian minister also spoke about the terrible spread of terrorism in the region. “No person, group or people are exempt; none are immune from this threat”. “A multitude of ideas and initiatives have been proposed to make [peace] a practical reality – particularly the Arab Peace Initiative”, Shoukry said.
The allegations have not been made public, although the reports say that it is a money-laundering probe separate from previous cases against Netanyahu.
Israel claims the Hebron area settlers have been affected by the violenceand that around 80 of the attacks on Israelis have been carried out by Palestinians from the Hebron area.
“I wish to inform you that in light of information received regarding affairs that pertain to the prime minister, among others…the attorney general has conducted a number of discussions… chose to instruct that an examination of the matter be opened”, the Attorney General’s office said in a statement.
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The scandals do not seem to have threatened Mr Netanyahu, who was first elected as Prime Minister 20 years ago with some breaks since, but have been a source of embarrassment and fuel for those who criticise him. An ensuing statement by Netanyahu championing Egypt’s involvement was coordinated, the people familiar with the talks said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
