Image by Getty Images

A senior Israeli diplomat made a rare trip to Egypt on Sunday to discuss how to re-launch peace talks with the Palestinians, which have been stalled since last year.

The visit to Cairo by Dore Gold, director-general of Israel’s foreign ministry, came a week after Egypt appointed its first ambassador to Israel since 2012. The two countries signed a peace treaty in 1979.

Gold met senior Egyptian officials to discuss “how to push the peace process forward,” Egypt’s state news agency MENA reported, citing Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty. Israel’s foreign ministry also confirmed the visit in a statement.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Israel and Egypt’s military-run government, which orchestrated the removal of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in 2013, share common concerns about militants active in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula as well as the Islamist group Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip.

Israeli security and intelligence officials held talks in Cairo during last summer’s Gaza war as part of a successful Egyptian bid to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The Israeli foreign ministry and MENA portrayed Gold’s visit as routine, saying it stemmed from his recent appointment to his post as director-general.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount