Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used diplomatic pressure, backed by other regional leaders, to prevent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from attending the Gaza summit in Egypt, according
to a report by AFP citing diplomatic sources.
Netanyahu was initially expected to join world leaders at the summit in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, where discussions were set to focus on efforts to end the war in Gaza. However, his office abruptly announced he would not attend, just 40 minutes after the Egyptian presidency confirmed his participation.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources quoted by AFP, Erdogan took the lead in lobbying against Netanyahu’s presence.
“At the initiative of President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan and through Turkey’s diplomatic efforts — with the support of other leaders — Netanyahu did not attend the meeting in Egypt,” one source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Reports from Turkish media suggest that Erdogan, while en route to the summit, refused to land in Egypt until he was assured Netanyahu would not be present. His plane reportedly circled above the Red Sea until confirmation came through.
Netanyahu’s Absence Sparks Speculation
Netanyahu’s office stated his absence was due to the Jewish holiday of Simhat Torah, which began at sundown on Monday. However, diplomatic sources and media reports indicate that growing regional opposition played a major role in his decision to withdraw.
The summit, co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, aims to build momentum for a formal declaration to end hostilities in Gaza.
Iraq also played a part in opposing Netanyahu’s attendance. Ali al-Mousawi, an adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani, told AFP that Iraq had informed Egypt of its refusal to participate if Netanyahu was present.
“Iraq has taken a clear position on this matter and has informed the Egyptians of its rejection, and a number of other delegations have announced their intention to withdraw if Netanyahu participates,” said al-Mousawi.
He added that Egyptian officials then told Netanyahu he “could not be received”, which led to the cancellation of his trip.
(With inputs from AFP)
