An Israeli delegation has headed to Cairo, Palestinian news agency Maan reports Tuesday, to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas. 

The delegation departed this morning from Tel Aviv, the report claims, and includes representatives from the Defense and Foreign Ministries. They will meet with Egyptian foreign ministry officials. 

While there, the delegation is expected to present security information about the Sinai desert, it adds, and coordinate security efforts with Cairo. 

An Egyptian official emphasized that “Israel is ignoring the French push for the peace process” – referring to an upcoming conference in Paris between European powers to push indirect talks – “and, in its place, has chosen Egyptian-brokered talks.” 

The French initiative involves holding a meeting of foreign ministers from a range of countries on June 3, but without the Israelis and or representatives of the Palestinian Authority present.

An international conference would then be held in the autumn, with negotiating teams from Israel and the Palestinian Authority in attendance. The goal is to eventually relaunch negotiations that would lead to a Palestinian state.

But it is unclear whether even Egyptian-brokered talks would bear fruit, as PA Prime Ministe” Rami Hamdallah rejected the idea of direct talks hours earlier Tuesday.