Egyptian FM heads to Israel for rare visit

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will arrive in Israel on Sunday afternoon for a meeting with Netanyahu, the Israeli leader confirmed at the start of Sunday's cabinet meeting. This is the first visit in Israel by an Egyptian foreign minister in nine years.

Two weeks ago Shoukry met PA head Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

Shoukry is visiting Israel on behalf of Abdulfatah Sisi, who two months ago called on Israeli political parties to unite around advancing Israeli-PA talks. Sisi also called on Arab states to back such an effort.

Diplomatic sources in Egypt told the Palestinian news agency Ma'an that advancing the Israeli-PA peace process will be at the top of the agenda at the meeting. The report said Shoukry is coming bearing Egyptian proposals on ways to restart the stalled process and stress the need to promote the French peace initiative as well as Sisi's regional peace push.

Sisi's remarks were part of a move led by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who serves as a personal advisor to Sisi, according to France24.