The White House is ready to broker a summit between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, a report on Sunday said.
Axios, the U.S. news website, reported that Israel will need to make a range of concessions to Egypt, including signing a strategic gas deal between the countries, to entice El-Sisi to the meeting.
The report, citing a U.S. official and an Israeli source, says the potential summit is part of a wider push by Washington to improve Israel’s ties with the Arab world.
“This is a huge opportunity for Israel. Selling gas to Egypt will create interdependence, get the countries closer together, create a warmer peace and prevent war,” the U.S. official told Axios.
Netanyahu decided not to attend an October peace summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, citing a Jewish holiday.
Egypt played a key role in mediating between Israel and Hamas over the release of hostages in Gaza.
The two leaders have not met in public since 2017.
