Mohamed Morsy is willing to meet with Israeli President Shimon Peres and other Israeli officials following the US presidential election, according to a senior Egyptian official.
The official, who had accompanied Morsy to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Israeli newspaper Israel Today that the meeting would be under US auspices, to “reduce the gaps” in Egypt-Israel relations since the fall of Hosni Mubarak.
Such a meeting would break with the traditional Egyptian Islamist position of refusing any direct dialogue with Israelis, officials and non-officials alike.
Israel and the United States are concerned that the rise of Islamists in the Arab world’s most populous country could undermine the peace treaty signed between Cairo and Tel Aviv 30 years ago.
Israeli commentators have also pointed out that Morsy has not uttered the word “Israel” in any public appearances since he took office. Last week, Morsy called on the international community to help the Palestinians establish their own state, a demand that Israel opposes without direct negotiations.
