Leaders of several countries and international organizations gathered at a summit in the Egyptian Red Sea coastal city of Sham Sheikh on the 13th night, focusing on the first phase of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The leaders of Egypt, the United States, Turkey and Qatar signed a document guaranteeing the ceasefire.
According to informed sources, the peace summit almost broke out in chaos because US President Trump tried to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attend at the last minute. After learning that Netanyahu might be invited to attend the meeting, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately ordered his special plane that had arrived over Egypt to turn around, and said that if Netanyahu was present, he would not attend the summit. While waiting for final confirmation, its special plane circled over the Red Sea.
Trump and Netanyahu shake hands in China.
Iraqi sources said Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani also told Egypt and the United States that Iraq would withdraw from the summit if Netanyahu attended.
Hours later, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office issued a statement saying that Netanyahu thanked Trump for the invitation, but was unable to do so due to the nearby festival.
The last moment.
Trump urges Netanyahu to travel to Egypt in ‘Beast’ car
People familiar with the matter said that before the summit, Trump sent out a "whim invitation" in his limousine nicknamed the "Beast." According to reports, on the same day, after finishing his visit to Israel, Trump sent this temporary invitation to Netanyahu next to him on his way from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to Parliament in his bulletproof limousine.
Trump’s luxury car “Beast”
Trump urged Netanyahu to travel with him to Egypt to “transform the summit from a symbolic event into an important diplomatic moment.”
Netanyahu agreed. Trump immediately called Egyptian President Seyce and won a formal invitation for Netanyahu. The Egyptian President's Office announced that Netanyahu would attend the meeting.
Erdogan orders aircraft not to land
Iraq also threatened to withdraw from the summit
At the time, Turkish President Erdogan’s special plane was ready to land in Sham Sheikh, but after he learned that Netanyahu would attend the summit, Erdogan immediately ordered the plane not to land. He warned that if Netanyahu was present, he would fall back and not attend the summit.
Erdogan and Trump.
Iraq sources said that Iraq Prime Minister Al-Sadani also informed Egypt and the United States that once Netanyahu arrived, Iraq would withdraw from the summit. The source added: "The positions of other participants were similar to those of Iraq, so Trump's attempt to bring Netanyahu to the summit was not successful."
Faced with an imminent situation out of control, Trump had to withdraw his “improvisational invitation.”
Until after it was confirmed that Netanyahu would not attend the meeting, Erdogan’s special aircraft, which has been flying over the Red Sea, landed in Sham Sheikh.
"At President Erdogan's initiative, through Turkey's diplomatic efforts and the support of other heads of state and government, Netanyahu did not attend the meeting in Egypt," a Turkish government representative said.
Trump said after the summit: "We invited 35 countries, and everyone we invited came. There is a lot of respect here."
Red Star News reporter Deng Shuyi