Netanyahu with Mubarak
Photo: AFP
Report: Netanyahu, Mubarak close to agreement
Al-Sharq al-Awsat reports prime minister, Egyptian president will reveal agreements on negotiations with Palestinians and a prisoner swap deal for Shalit after scheduled meeting in Cairo Sunday
Israel and Egypt are on the cusp of agreement on factors relating to negotiations with the Palestinians as well as a prisoner exchange deal to release kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, al-Sharq al-Awsat reported Saturday.
The agreements will be revealed after a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak scheduled for Sunday, the London-based paper reported, citing Israeli and Egyptian sources in Cairo.
The report says Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman has met separately with Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal and Netanyahu's envoy to talks on Shalit, Hagai Hadas.
It adds that Hadas met with a number of other officials in order to discuss a list of prisoners to be released in exchange for the captive IDF soldier.
Netanyahu will arrive on Sunday with a senior minister from his government, the report says. Mubarak is set to welcome them with a festive post-Ramadan feast, after which they will discuss issues between the two countries.
On Tuesday the Kuwaiti al-Jarida reported that Netanyahu and Mubarak will discuss recent developments in the region, and first and foremost a recent speech by Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, who rejected any normalization of ties with Israel if it continued to develop settlements.
