UPDATE – US’ Blinken meets Egypt’s Sisi during regional tour

UPDATES WITH DETAILS

By Ibrahim al-Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) – Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi held talks in Cairo on Monday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

A statement released by Sisi’s office said the talks took up developments in the Palestinian territories and joint efforts to contain the rising tension there.

Tension has escalated across the Palestinian territories in recent days amid a spate of attacks.

On Friday, at least seven Israelis were killed in a shooting attack near a synagogue in an Israeli settlement in occupied East Jerusalem Friday night, a day after nine Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin.

Al-Sisi said recent developments “indicate the importance of the immediate work in the political and security tracks to calm down the situation, and avoid any unilateral steps by any party.”

The statement quoted Blinken as saying that Washington counts on close coordination with Egypt to restore stability, to ensure calm and to contain the situation between the Palestinians and Israel.

"Important meeting with President al-Sisi on the US-Egypt strategic partnership. We discussed Egypt’s important role in regional stability, bilateral cooperation, and the importance of progress on human rights,” he said on Twitter.

Blinken also met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry following his talks with al-Sisi.

According to state news agency MENA, the discussions between the two chief diplomats focus on bilateral cooperation and regional issues.

Blinken arrived in Egypt on Sunday at the start of a regional tour that will also take him to Israel and the West Bank.

According to the State Department, Blinken’s talks with Egyptian officials aim to advance the US-Egypt strategic partnership and promote peace and security in the region, including through shared support for elections in Libya and the ongoing Sudanese-led political process.

Since the signing of Egypt-Israel peace treaty in 1979, Washington has provided Cairo with an annual aid package worth $1.5 billion, including $1.3 billion in military assistance.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar