JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel’s prime minister met publicly with Egypt’s president for the first time in decades on Monday, signaling deepening ties between the two countries.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett described his meeting with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi as “very important and very good,” and said the pair “created a foundation for deep ties in the future.”
They met in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh and President el-Sissi warmly welcomed the Israeli prime minister.
“We discussed a series of issues in the diplomatic, security and economic spheres, as well as ways to deepen ties and strengthen the interests of our countries,” Bennett said in a statement released by his office.
“Israel is increasingly opening up to the countries of the region, and the basis of this longstanding recognition is the peace between Israel and Egypt,” he added “Therefore, on both sides we must invest in strengthening this link, and we have done so today.”
Egypt was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel in 1979 and serves as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas. The volatile Gaza Strip is sandwiched between the two countries and Egpyt is often tasked with brokering a ceasefire between the two sides during war.
Bennett thanked el-Sissi for helping bring stability to the region.
The two leaders discussed bilateral relations, reviving the Israel-Palestinian peace process and other regional and international developments, according to a statement issued by el-Sissi’s office.
“We also talked about the Gaza Strip and the importance of maintaining peace and the ceasefire, as well as the importance of economic support for the Strip and improving people’s conditions, whether in the West Bank or Gaza Strip,” the president told Egyptian media.
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***
Egypt is currently trying to establish a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas following their most recent round of fighting in May. Those efforts appear to have faced trouble in recent weeks.
Hamas is demanding that Israel lift a strict blockade on Gaza, which has crippled the territory’s economy. Israel is seeking the release of two Israelis who are believed to be alive in captivity in Gaza, and the bodies of two Israeli soldiers who died in the 2014 war.
Egypt helped Israel establish this blockade after the Hamas terror group seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel says the strict blockade is needed for security and to keep Hamas in check. Critics say the blockade amounts to collective punishment on impoverished Gazans.
Hamas has grown increasingly impatient in recent weeks and staged several rounds of violent demonstrations along the border in protest of the blockade. The terror group has also sent over incendiary balloons that have sparked fires in southern Israel.
While Egypt and Israel quietly collaborate on security matters, the Egyptian government walks a tight line with its citizens who largely oppose Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.
Egypt also supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Last month, el-Sissi met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordanian King Abdullah II, where they stressed support for the two-state solution.
The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at CBN