Israel, Palestinians court Egypt’s Sisi as broker in peace talks

Israeli and Palestinian officials have been pushing Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to assume a lead mediating role in attempts to restart a fraught peace process ahead of a conference in Paris on Friday, The Wall Street Journal said.

Israeli and Palestinian officials said they believe President Sisi can act as an honest broker between the two sides as the Egyptian leader has indicated he is committed to establishing a Palestinian state, it added.

These efforts come as foreign ministers from 26 countries, including US Secretary of State John Kerry, meet in Paris on Friday for the start of France’s initiative to achieve peace, an approach that has been repeatedly rejected by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Alaa Youssef on Thursday said the president is eager to take a leading role "to re-initiate the peace process and give all kinds of support," according to the paper.

Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and countries from the European Union and Asia also are all expected to attend the Paris summit on Friday.

French officials say the conference will aim to draw up a list of incentives for the parties as part of a possible deal.

France has said that if the officials make progress, it would host another conference this year that would include the Israeli and Palestinian leadership, at which talks would begin in earnest.

Source ; MENA