RIYADH, Dec 22: Indicating new, emerging alignments in the region, unimaginable even six months earlier, it has been reported that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met the beleaguered Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Sinoria in Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt.

Citing a source, the Maan news agency of Palestine also reported that the meeting lasted five hours and Saudi National Security Council chief Prince Bandar Bin Sultan was also present during the meeting. Israeli media has also picked the report.

Israeli Prime Minister’s office has denied the report.

According to the report, the three met in the presence of Osama el-Baz, senior adviser to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

According to reports carried in the Israeli media, Saudi National Security Council Prince Bandar Bin Sultan had been in contact with Israel in order to coordinate the meeting.

The report also states that the meeting took place at the vacation residence of President Mubarak during the Eidul Fitr holiday one month after the conclusion of the war in Lebanon.

According to the source, the meeting between the two lasted five hours and the people present were working on coordination between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the coalition forces in Lebanon to counter the axis consisting of Iran, Syria, Hizbullah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad.