Israel PM plans an ‘official’ visit to Egypt to discuss economic issues

Things have been changing in the Middle East ever since the normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The dynamic of the Arab world is swiftly changing with more countries opening their borders for Israel like Bahrain.

Now another country to have stepped forward in establishing stronger bonds with Jerusalem is Egypt. Egypt was among the first countries to have recognized the Jewish state and have an open relationship with it. But there was a lot to be discussed on official grounds between the two countries and with the Arab state taking a step towards Israel, Cairo has decided to step up its game.

As per the source’s confirmation to the Jerusalem Post, Israel is looking to strengthen its economic bonds with Egypt. The officials from both ends are discussing various possibilities before the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu makes his official visit to Cairo where he will reportedly be meeting the Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.

In the coming days, there supposedly will be a meeting where different possibilities regarding the economic structuring of the two countries will be discussed. The talks will also discuss the growth of business opportunities between the two.

Netanyahu always had a special bond with the Egyptian people and the leaders. Take the 2010 meeting with then-president Hosni Mubarak for example. The two leaders discussed a variety of issues ranging from opening up a direct negotiation platform between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to further diplomatic policies in the Arab world.

But the time the meeting took place was a critical one as a tense atmosphere surrounded the Egyptian estate. Soon after the visit, the then President was overthrown. Following this meet, in 2016 a meeting was planned from Netanyahu’s end only to have been canceled by the Egyptians after the energy minister spoke ill of the Jewish state.

A year later, the meeting was again fixed but not in each other's countries but in New York. Though the two leaders met a noticeable disappointment from Israel’s end was the absence of its flag behind the chair. Only Egypt’s national flag was present there. The meeting dealt with ways to renew the peace process said one of the spokesmen.

Two years back too, some reports claim that the two leaders met in Cairo after Sisi invited the Israeli Prime Minister. He reportedly stayed there along with a few bodyguards and advisors and attended a meal breaking the Ramadan fast. But there is no official confirmation on this visit nor the details of the meeting are known in public.

This time, however, the head of the Jewish state plans to visit Cairo officially with the aim to discuss economical issues.