Egyptian President rebuffs request for phone call with Netanyahu

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s office has refused a request for the leader to speak on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli media outlets report.

Netanyahu’s office, via the National Security Council, tried to coordinate the conversation in recent days but were rebuffed, the reports say, adding that lower-level contacts are being held and that Israeli delegations have visited Cairo in recent weeks.