The Israeli and Palestinian leaders prepared to hold separate meetings with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Sunday after Mubarak conferred with the US Middle East envoy on a push for direct talks between the two men.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas were not expected to meet, Mubarak’s office stressed, despite months of efforts by US envoy George Mitchell to end an 18-month hiatus in face-to-face negotiations.