Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on Israeli leaders to work towards achieving a settlement with the Palestinian Arabs Tuesday.

“After signing the peace accords, no one thought that true and lasting peace, as it exists today between Israel and Egypt, could be achieved. However, it became a permanent peace due to the changing times and reality,” Sisi stated. “There is an opportunity to write a new chapter of peace in the area.” 

“If we can all join forces in order to solve the Palestinian issue by creating hope for Palestinians and assuring security for Israelis, we will be able to write a new chapter that may prove to be more important than the peace accords between Israel and Egypt,” he added. 

Opposition leader MK Yitzhak Herzog welcomed the initiative, hailing “the possibility of historic progress, in which the moderate Arab world expects Israel to extend a brave, strong and sober hand.” 

”It is our duty to examine it seriously – otherwise we will find ourselves doing it after the next funeral,” he added. “It is very important to listen to the Egyptian president and examine the opportunity seriously and responsibility.”