Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry called on his Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, in a phone call today, Friday, to move the stalemate between the Palestinians and Israelis, and launch a comprehensive negotiating process, to ensure the strengthening of the pillars of stability in the region.
Shoukry stressed, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, that Egypt will continue to support efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East in accordance with international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.
Sameh Shoukry also stressed the need to prevent the escalation of tension, and to advance efforts to rebuild the Gaza Strip and development support to all parts of the Palestinian territories.
For its part, Israeli media said that "Lapid spoke by phone with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, and they discussed the importance of relations between the two countries at the political and security levels, and they agreed to meet soon."
The phone call is the first between the Egyptian Foreign Minister and his Israeli counterpart, after the latter assumed his duties a few days ago, succeeding Gabi Ashkenazi.
At the dawn of last May 21, a ceasefire took effect between Israel and the Palestinian resistance factions, brokered by Egypt, after an 11-day military confrontation, during which Israel launched hundreds of air raids and artillery shelling on the Gaza Strip, which caused the death and injury of hundreds of Palestinians.