Egypt wants IDF exit from PA areas before any talks on summit

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said on Saturday that Israel should first withdraw from re-occupied Palestinian areas before there could be any discussion of a Middle East peace conference.

Maher was responding to reporters about plans announced by the United States to hold such a peace conference this summer.

"The first step before any talk about any meeting or conference...is the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian land which it occupied in the recent weeks and confirmation of Israel's commitment not to return under any pretext," Maher told reporters.

Maher said any such gathering should include Israelis and Palestinians, as well as Lebanon and Syria, both of which do not have peace agreements with Israel.