Khaberni - "Yedioth Ahronoth" revealed the real reasons that led the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel his participation in the "Sharm el-Sheikh Summit" which witnesses international participation aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that Netanyahu decided at the last minute not to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, despite a previous official Egyptian announcement about his participation in the summit, which was supposed to be attended by U.S. President Donald Trump and an elite group of world leaders.
Why wasn't Netanyahu invited initially?
The newspaper pointed out that Israel was not initially invited to the summit, but after Trump's visit to the Israeli Knesset, a three-way call took place between Trump, Netanyahu, and the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi — the first direct contact between the latter two for about two and a half years. After this call, the Egyptian presidential palace issued a statement confirming Netanyahu's participation in the summit, which raised questions about the nature of the sudden change.
The official and hidden reasons
According to "Yedioth Ahronoth," Netanyahu's official office justified the cancellation due to the proximity of Jewish holidays, and fears of angering the "Haredim" (ultra-Orthodox Jews), who strongly oppose travel during the holidays. Additionally, the participation of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas raised concerns within Israeli right-wing circles, especially about the possibility of Netanyahu shaking hands with Abbas or Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which could anger Netanyahu's electoral base.
However, the newspaper pointed out that this justification was "not sufficient," noting that Netanyahu himself had returned from an overseas trip the previous Saturday, after the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, which indicates that "desecrating the Sabbath or a holiday is not always a red line." It believed that the deeper reason lies in Netanyahu's desire to avoid an embarrassing situation, possibly forcing him to hear messages he does not want, such as a call for a "two-state solution," or criticisms of Israel regarding potential "war crimes" in Gaza.
Tense relations with Sisi
The newspaper highlighted that the relationship between Netanyahu and Sisi has been very tense since the attack on October 7, 2023, as the Egyptian president has refused to take calls from Netanyahu for the past several months. Despite Trump's attempts to encourage Netanyahu's participation, the Israeli assessment was that Sisi would not feel comfortable hosting the Israeli Prime Minister amid rising Arab public anger against Israel.
About 20 countries are expected to attend the summit, including France, Germany, Britain, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Indonesia, and Pakistan, in addition to the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. It will officially announce the end of the war in Gaza, and plans for the reconstruction of the sector will be discussed the following day.
The office of the Egyptian president confirmed that the "Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit" will be co-chaired by the President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to "end the war in Gaza, promote peace and stability in the Middle East, and open a new chapter of regional security," as part of what was described as "Trump's vision for peace in the region".
