Egyptian President Sisi calls Herzog to wish 'Happy New Year'

The conversation was “warm and positive,” and the leaders agreed to keep in contact.

ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISI (photo credit: VASILY FEDOSENKO / REUTERS)
ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISI
(photo credit: VASILY FEDOSENKO / REUTERS)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called President Isaac Herzog to wish him and the people of Israel a happy new year on Sunday, ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

Sisi also congratulated Herzog on entering office.

The leaders discussed bilateral issues and joint Egyptian-Israeli interests, according to Herzog’s spokesman.

Herzog thanked Sisi for his role in the pursuit of regional stability and peace.

The conversation was “warm and positive,” Herzog’s spokesman added, and the leaders agreed to keep in contact.

The phone call comes days after Herzog visited Jordanian King Abdullah in Amman.

Herzog said on Saturday that “Jordan is an important country,” and Abdullah is “a highly significant regional actor.”

The leaders discussed “the core issues in the dialogue between our states,” the president said.

Herzog and Abdullah also discussed further ways Israel could aid Jordan, after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett agreed to sell Jordan double the amount of water at the discount rate required in the peace agreement between the countries, and to allow increased exports from Jordan into the Palestinian Authority.

JORDAN’S KING ABDULLAH II listens during a meeting in Amman in May. (credit: ALEX BRANDON/POOL VIA REUTERS)
JORDAN’S KING ABDULLAH II listens during a meeting in Amman in May. (credit: ALEX BRANDON/POOL VIA REUTERS)

No information about overtures from Jordan to Israel were discussed, beyond the king, who is custodian of the Temple Mount, deigning to meet with Israel’s leaders. No photos were released of the meeting, as was the case when Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited Amman earlier this year.


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Herzog has also spoken with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan since taking office.