Egypt's Sisi calls Israeli president to wish him happy Jewish new year

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

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

The two leaders discussed mutual Egyptian-Israeli interests, according to Herzog’s spokesman, adding that the conversation was "warm and positive".

The two presidents agreed to keep in contact.

The call comes ahead of a scheduled meeting between Sisi and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet, who is reportedly due to visit the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh this week.

Israel's Channel 13 quoted an official saying that the discussions in the meeting will focus on security issues.

The Sisi-Herzog phone call comes days after Jordan's King Abdullah II invited Israel's President Isaac Herzog to his palace in Amman, after years of strained relations under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Herzog met King Abdullah at his palace in the Jordanian capital, Amman, the Israeli president's office said in a statement. The two discussed a series of political and economic issues including energy and sustainability.

"Jordan is a very important country. I have immense respect for King Abdullah, a great leader, and a highly significant regional actor," Herzog was quoted as saying following the meeting.

Sisi also held talks with King Abdullah and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Cairo last week, reportedly to discuss issues such as how the US might handle Israel-Palestine relations.