Netanyahu declined to attend Monday’s Egypt peace summit on the Gaza war, citing a Jewish holiday despite earlier confirmation of his participation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend Monday’s summit on ending the Gaza war in Egypt, his office announced, after Cairo had earlier confirmed his participation.
In a statement on Sunday, Netanyahu’s office said he had been invited by U.S. President Donald Trump to join world leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh but declined “due to the timing’s proximity to the beginning of (a Jewish) holiday.”
“The Prime Minister thanked President Trump for his invitation and for his efforts to expand the circle of peace — peace through strength,” the statement read.
An Egyptian presidential spokesperson earlier said both Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Netanyahu were expected at the summit “to solidify the agreement to end the war in Gaza and reaffirm their commitment to it.”
The spokesperson added that Trump and Netanyahu spoke by phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi while in Israel on Monday.