Bennett makes surprise trip to Egypt

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is in Egypt for an unannounced visit, Egypt says.

The trip to Sharm el-Sheikh is his second since taking office in the summer, after meeting Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi in the Egyptian coastal resort in September.

The current visit comes days after Israel and Egypt agreed to increase direct flights between the two nations with the opening of a new route between Ben Gurion Airport and Sharm.

Israel and Egypt have bolstered their diplomatic ties in recent years. The two governments share security interests in the Gaza Strip — Egypt, like Israel, sees the enclave’s Hamas rulers as a serious threat — as well as in Sinai and the eastern Mediterranean.