Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders meet Egyptian spy chiefs

Senior members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad have arrived in Cairo for talks with members of Egypt's notorious intelligence services.

The usually closed Rafah border crossing was opened to allow leaders from the Palestinian militant group - led by Secretary General of the Movement, Ramadan Shallah - into Egypt.

He went through to Egypt where they met the head of Egyptian intelligence service Major General Khaled Fawzi, sources close to Hamas political bureau told The New Arab.

The meeting is part of new dialogue efforts by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to "encourage" internal Palestinian reconciliation, as well discuss possible peace talks with Israel.

The visit to Cairo came shortly after members of the armed movement visited the Iranian capital, Tehran earlier this month. There Shallah met with Supreme Leader Ali Khameini, and other prominent Iranian officials.

However, there talks focused on resistance to Israeli occupation.  

It is likely that Iran - due to their role in sponsoring the militant group - had a role to play in the group's meeting in Cairo. This could point to closer ties between Egypt and the Islamic Republic. 

The news of the visit by members of Islamic Jihad follows a similar visit by a Hamas delegation to Egypt last month.  

Although Hamas said the meeting was a success, Egyptian authorities pronounced it a failure.  

Although Iran's financing to Hamas has wavered following the group's indecision on which side to back in the Syria war, Tehran is said to be continuing its direct support to al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas which has a separate budget to the political faction.