Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined an invitation to attend an international summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, aimed at advancing U.S.-led plans for Gaza and regional stability. The summit, co-chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, was set to gather around 30 world leaders, including Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
The invitation to Netanyahu came at Trump’s request, timed ahead of the Israeli leader’s Knesset address and the release phase of the Gaza ceasefire hostages. Netanyahu’s office expressed gratitude for the invitation but cited the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, which began Monday at sundown and ended Tuesday night, as the reason for his absence.
In addition to the summit, plans for a visit by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to Israel were reportedly finalized, with Subianto expected to arrive in Israel on Tuesday. The gathering aims to promote diplomatic dialogue and support Washington’s ongoing peace initiatives in the region following recent developments in Gaza.
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