(Ynet).Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is urging Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to meet with him in Beersheba, 30 years after the meeting between Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat in the southern city in May 1979, which led to a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. Speaking Sunday morning at the start of a special cabinet meeting in Beersheba, Netanyahu said, "I am calling on the leaders of the Palestinians and Arab states: Let's meet, let's cooperate. We have the ability to bring many investors. We are exerting efforts to ease restrictions on the Palestinians, but all the efforts can only reach a certain point."
Netanyahu said this was the first cabinet meeting ever to be held in Beersheba. "It's also our first meeting after 100 days in office. Beersheba was not selected by chance." The prime minister explained that the meeting would discuss various projects planned in the city, including a new park, an Israel Defense Forces base, and an expansion of roads.
From the development of the Negev, Netanyahu moved on to the issue of peace: "I would like to say a word to our neighbors as well. The Palestinian population living alongside us has the basic right to live in security, peace and prosperity.
"In recent weeks we have exerted many efforts in order to ease their lives, we have removed many roadblocks, decided to expand the Allenby crossing's operation hours for additional goods, and I have decided to advance a series of projects with the Palestinian in order to promote peace.
"All these efforts can only reach a certain point, and the results will double themselves tenfold if only the other side cooperates with us.
"Therefore, I call on the Palestinian and Arab countries' leaders, let's meet. Let's cooperate. We can bring many investors. I would like to ask the Palestinian Authority's president to meet with me soon anywhere in the country. Since we are here in Beersheba, I call on him to meet me here.
"People tell me that these days we are marking the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty with Egypt and a little more than 30 years since Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin's meeting here in May 1979. Now is the time to meet."