Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuin Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to discuss the long-stalled Mideast peace process.

The following is a timeline of Israeli and Egyptian positions on the Middle East peace process since March 31, when Netanyahu was sworn in.

On April 1, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that making concessions with Arabs will bring about not peace but more wars.

Israel is not bound by the Annapolis peace conference, he said, stressing that the "only one document that binds us" is the "Road Map" peace plan, a blueprint initiated in 2003 that calls for a two-state solution to the Mideast conflict.

On April 2, Egyptian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Hossam Zaki said Lieberman's remarks are "regrettable," and that they are "the first blow" of Israel's new government to the peace efforts.

On April 6, Netanyahu said in a telephone call to Mubarak that he is looking for consultation with the latter on the Mideast peace process.

Netanyahu said his government will "press ahead with peacemaking despite pre-impressions," adding that he is "looking for consultation with President Mubarak for Egypt to pursue painstaking efforts to bring about peace and stability to the Mideast."

On April 18, U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell reiterated Obama administration's commitment to the two-state solution in a meeting with Mubarak. But the overture was put aside two days earlier when Mitchell was in Israel, where Lieberman called for new approaches to tackle the decades-long conflict.

On April 30, Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt in early May, before Netanyahu's visit to the United States in mid May.

On May 3, Daniel Ayalon, a member of Israel Beiteinu party headed by Lieberman, said his country would accept a comprehensive peace agreement that entails a two-state solution.

"The government of Israel, because of our democratic tradition and because of the continuity principle, is going to abide by all previous commitments the former government took, including the acceptance of the road map to peace which will lead to a two-state solution," Ayalon was quoted by the website of Ha'aretz daily as saying.

On May 4, Netanyahu, who spoke from Israel via satellite to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual conference in Washington, said, "We are prepared to resume peace negotiations without any delay, without any preconditions. The sooner, the better."

The prime minister's fresh approach involves a triple track toward peace between Israel and the Palestinians, namely a political track, a security track and an economic track.

But Netanyahu, who has been in favor of "economy for peace" since his election campaign, fell short of mentioning the widely accepted two-state idea.

On May 6, Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit urged Netanyahu to spell out his stance towards the two-state solution, saying the Arabs want the Israeli leader to express clearly his acceptance of the popular principle which involves an independent Palestinian state.

On May 7, Israeli press reported that Netanyahu will travel to Egypt on Monday. Israeli government officials said the upcoming trip is a symbolic move designed to signal the importance Netanyahu places on relations with Cairo and moderates in the Arab world.

(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2009)