Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi answers questions during an interview Saturday in New York. (AP/Julie Jacobson) (AP/Julie Jacobson)
Egyptian President Al-Sisi

Netanyahu commended a statement by Egypt’s president calling for an expanding of the Israel-Egypt peace treaty to other Arab states and for increased cooperation against the threat of terrorism.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised a statement by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to the Associated Peace calling for an extension of the peace treaty between the two countries to other Arab states.

Sisi told the AP that “efforts should be renewed to solve the Palestinian issue and expand Egypt’s nearly 40-year-peace with Israel to include more Arab countries.” He said that a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could “change the face of the region and…bring about enormous improvement to the situation. I’m optimistic by nature and I say that there is a great opportunity.”

“The Government of Israel welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s call to expand the peace with Israel to include additional Arab countries,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “Prime Minister Netanyahu urges PA President Mahmoud Abbas once again to return immediately to the negotiating table to advance the diplomatic process.”

Sisi further emphasized in his interview the need for cooperation among all states in the region against the threat of terrorism and failed states. “I don’t want to say we are late in doing what we should have done, but [defeating the threat will require] a lot of effort, and not only a lot of effort but as a matter of fact it entails a good amount of understanding and cooperation from every country…to restore the countries that are now sliding into this vicious cycle of failure,” he said.

By: Sara Abramowicz, United with Israel