Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi underlined the need to resume negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. According to the Egyptian presidency, the meeting, which was held on Wednesday evening, saw discussions over the means to revive the peace process, with Sisi stressing the need to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause in accordance with the two-state solution and the relevant international references. “The President affirmed that a final and just settlement of the Palestinian issue will contribute to the creation of a new reality in the Middle East, in which all the peoples of the region will enjoy stability, security and development,” said Ambassador Bassam Radhi, spokesman for the Egyptian presidency. He added that the Israeli prime minister expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s important role in the Middle East and its efforts to combat terrorism and to establish stability and peace in the region. Cairo is mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amid frequent violent clashes along the border between Israel and Gaza. The meeting between Sisi and Netanyahu is the second since 2014, and the first in Sisi’s second term. In September 2017, the Egyptian president met with Netanyahu in New York to discuss the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis on the sidelines of the UN meetings. Sisi also met with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The president welcomed the development of bilateral relations between the two countries. According to a presidential statement, the meeting touched on ways to enhance joint cooperation between the two sides, especially in the economic and trade fields, as well as discussing increasing the volume of Italian investments in major development projects in Egypt. The two sides also reviewed the latest developments in the region, especially the fight against terrorism and illegal migration and the situation in Libya and Syria.