Egypt has been acting as a mediator in negotiations for a cease-fire agreements in Syria, Haaretz reported Monday.

Russia and Saudi Arabia gave their approval for Egypt to serve as a middle-man, brokering deals between rebel militias and the Syrian regime in Ghouta al-Sharqiy, east of Damascus, and in northern neighborhoods in the city of Homs.

In both areas, Cairo emerged successful, proving its ability to secure ceasefire deals.

According to the report, Egypt’s involvement in negotiations regarding Syria is beneficial for Israel as it minimizes Iran’s influence in the region, which is seen as a growing concern for the Jewish state.

Egypt and Israel have aligned on security matters in the past, particularly surrounding relations with the Hamas ruling party in the Gaza Strip, as both countries share borders with the coastal enclave.

Israel is involved in talks about de-escalation zones in Syria, along with Jordan. The report in Haaretz stated that, over the weekend, a delegation headed by Israel’s Mossad chief, met in Washington with senior US defense officials ahead of a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladamir Putin, slated for Wednesday.Reports emerged last month that Israel told the US it doesn’t want Russia supervising proposed safe zones in Syria.

According to reports, three Israeli officials told Haaretz that talks about reestablishing safe zones in Syria were being conducted between the US, Russia and Jordan. The Russians reportedly asked to be responsible for enforcing a cease-fire near the Israeli and Jordanian borders and for policing safe zones that would be established in the region, but Israel was adamantly against it and asked that the US be held responsible for monitoring the cease-fire instead, according to Haaretz.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since its conflict broke out in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Source: http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/middle-east/153489-170821-egypt-has-been-involved-in-brokering-ceasefire-deals-in-syria-report

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