Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, is reportedly open to meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly open to meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as part of a Egyptian-led summit in Cairo.

According to a report in the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya news network, Netanyahu expressed a willingness to meet Abbas in Cairo during a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Sunday.

The Prime Minister’s Office responded to the report by saying, “Whether this is being discussed or not, Israel always says it is ready to directly negotiate, bilaterally, and without preconditions.”

Sunday’s visit by Shoukry was the first official trip by an Egyptian foreign minister to Israel since 2007.

“I welcome President [Abdel Fattah] El-Sisi’s recent offer of Egyptian leadership in efforts to advance peace with the Palestinians and a broader peace in our region,” Netanyahu said in a joint press conference with Shoukry.