Cairo - Egyptian president Hosny Mubarak will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 13 in Cairo, the Israeli embassy in Cairo said on Wednesday. Netanyahu and Mubarak are to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues, the embassy said in a statement, adding that Mubarak will host a banquet for iftar, the fast-breaking meal in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, for the Israeli premier.
Israeli media said previously said that the leaders will discuss efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, and to secure a prisoners' exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.
Egypt has for the past three years tried to mediate the release of Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit, captured in a cross-border raid from Gaza on a nearby Israeli military outpost and held captive by Hamas.
Hamas is demanding the freedom of hundreds of Palestinian militants from Israeli prisons in his exchange.
German mediators have reportedly become involved in the swap deal, as the indirect talks mediated by Egypt have so far been unsuccessful.
