UPDATE 3 - Egypt’s Sisi meets Israeli premier in Sharm el-Sheikh

UPDATES WITH BENNET'S REMARKS

By Diana Shalhub and Abdelraouf Arna'out

ANKARA (AA) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday met with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for talks on reviving the Middle East peace process.

The official website of the Egyptian Presidency published pictures of the meeting between al-Sisi and Bennett in Sharm el-Sheikh in northeastern Egypt.

The Egyptian presidential office said the two leaders discussed a host of regional and international issues along with bilateral relations.

Al-Sisi called for the “necessity to preserve de-escalation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides,” the office said.

He also expressed “Egypt’s support for all efforts to achieve comprehensive peace in the Middle East on the basis of two-state solution and international legitimacy resolutions.”

For his part, Bennett said the meeting was "very important and very good," noting that they laid the foundation for "deep ties," according to Israeli media.

Bennett stated that Israel is opening up to the countries of the region, and the basis for this is peace between Israel and Egypt, "therefore, both sides, must invest in strengthening this relationship and we did that today," according to Kan TV.

The meeting which lasted for three hours was attended by top officials from both sides.

Monday’s meeting is the first between the two leaders since Bennett assumed power in Israel in June.

It is also the first visit to Egypt in 10 years by an Israeli premier as the last visit was paid by Benjamin Netanyahu in January 2011.

On Aug. 18, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel met with Bennett in Tel Aviv where he conveyed an official invitation to him to visit Egypt.

Egypt is mediating a cease-fire deal between Israel and Palestinian resistant groups in Gaza following the last Israeli military offensive on the Palestinian territory in May.

Peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel have stalled since April 2014, due to Tel Aviv's refusal to stop settlement building, release Palestinian detainees, and evading the two-state solution.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat and Ahmed Asmar