Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York on Monday for discussions on ways to revive the Israel-Palestine peace process, the Egyptian president's office said in a statement. During the meeting at his New York residence, El-Sisi stressed the importance of resuming talks between the Palestinians and Israelis in order to reach a fair two-state solution based on international treaties, the statement said. Monday's meeting is the first official meeting between El-Sisi and Netanyahu. During the meeting, the Egyptian president expressed his appreciation for US President Donald Trump's efforts to progress the peace process, saying they contribute to the achievement of a fair and final resolution of the Palestinian issue. In April 2014, the Israel-Palestine peace talks collapsed due to the insistence of the Israeli government on expanding illegal settlements in the occupied territories. On Monday, Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for the role of Egypt in the Middle East, including its efforts at fighting terrorism and supporting stability in the region. Also attending the meeting were Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Director of the Egyptian General intelligence Directorate Khaled Fawzy, and the head of the Egypian president's office Abbas Kamel. Before meeting Netanyahu, the Egyptian president met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the latest in the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation process. Israeli ambassador to Cairo David Govrin returned back to Egypt in late August after an eight-months absence due to "security threats" according to Israeli media. El-Sisi is currently in New York to attend the meetings of the 72nd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He is expected to address the UNGA on Tuesday.
