Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected an invitation to attend a what has been dubbed a “peace summit” in Egypt attended by leaders from across the Muslim world and beyond in order, his office said, to avoid travelling over Simchat Torah.
Dozens of world leaders are gathering Sharm in El-Sheikh for the summit, hosted by US President Donald Trump and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, intended to strengthen peace and stability efforts in the Middle East.
Reports initially suggested Netanyahu would attend, but his office has now announced he will not make the trip because tonight marks the start of Simchat Torah, when observant Jews celebrate the conclusion – and restart – of the annual Torah-reading cycle.
Netanyahu’s office said in a statement: “The Prime Minister thanked President Trump for his invitation but stated that he would not be able to attend due to the proximity of the event to the start of the holiday.”
Israeli leaders typically avoid travel on Jewish holidays, except under extraordinary circumstances.
The prime minister’s office did not mention Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi, who invited Netanyahu by telephone today.
Following his speech in the Knesset, Trump is scheduled to leave Israel this afternoon to attend the summit, but he is running well behind schedule.
The summit, which follows the hostage release earlier today, aims “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability”, according to the Egyptian presidency.
More than 20 world leaders are expected to attend the summit, including the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and the president of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto.
There had been reports in Israeli media that Subianto, who leads the world's largest Muslim-majority country, was expected to visit Israel this week, which would mark the first-ever trip to Israel by an Indonesian head of state.
Other leaders at the Egypt summit include French President Emmanuel Macron and the UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
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