Trump-Brokered Gaza Summit Plans Shift as Netanyahu Cancels Attendance
CAIRO – plans for a Gaza ”peace summit” convened by former U.S.President Donald Trump experienced a significant disruption Monday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled his planned attendance. The shift followed objections raised by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,who reportedly refused to land in Egypt for the summit unless Netanyahu was excluded,and concerns within Netanyahu’s own coalition government.
According to sources, Trump had secured a commitment from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to facilitate the summit, and had initially confirmed Netanyahu’s participation in a phone call from Israel. However,Erdoğan voiced his objections to Netanyahu’s presence to Sisi while his plane remained airborne over Egypt. Netanyahu’s office later released a statement explaining his withdrawal, citing the proximity of the event to a Jewish holiday.
The cancellation underscores the deep divisions surrounding any normalization of relations between Israel and Muslim countries, a key objective of Trump’s diplomatic efforts. Figures within Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition had also threatened to resign should he attend the conference. The summit, intended to include over 20 world leaders, was hastily arranged as international pressure mounts to address the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
International criminal court arrest warrants have been issued against Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza, adding another layer of complexity to his potential participation, even in a country like Egypt which is not a signatory to the court. Erdoğan has repeatedly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide,making any public engagement with Netanyahu politically untenable for the Turkish leader domestically and potentially jeopardizing Ankara’s role in a planned international security force for Gaza.
