A Sudden Diplomatic Shock Before the Gaza Peace Talks
A last-minute diplomatic standoff shook preparations for the multinational Gaza peace summit in Egypt, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that he would not attend if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited.
The high-stakes event, hosted in Sharm el-Sheikh and co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, was meant to showcase international unity in rebuilding Gaza and enforcing a fragile ceasefire. However, the situation quickly turned into a showdown between Erdoğan and Trump, forcing Washington to withdraw Netanyahu’s invitation at the eleventh hour.
Trump’s Last-Minute Move Sparks Tensions
According to diplomatic insiders, Trump made a surprise phone call to Netanyahu on Monday morning, personally inviting him to attend the Sharm el-Sheikh summit. The gesture was reportedly aimed at “recognizing Israel’s role in stabilizing the region” and boosting Trump’s image as a global peacemaker.
Yet the move backfired almost instantly. As Erdoğan’s plane was en route to Egypt, he was informed that Netanyahu had been added to the guest list. Within minutes, the Turkish president sent a blunt message to Cairo and Washington — he would refuse to land in Egypt if Netanyahu was present.
Sources close to Ankara said Erdoğan viewed the invitation as a “provocative and insensitive act”, especially after months of condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, which he has repeatedly described as “a genocide against the Palestinian people.”
Erdoğan’s Firm Stand Forces Trump to Backtrack
Faced with the potential collapse of the entire summit, Trump and al-Sisi scrambled to contain the fallout. Discussions reportedly took place between Washington, Ankara, and Cairo while Erdoğan’s aircraft circled in Egyptian airspace.
By midday, Netanyahu’s attendance was quietly canceled. A statement from his office attempted to soften the blow, claiming that the Israeli prime minister “thanked President Trump for his invitation but could not attend due to the proximity of the holiday.” However, multiple diplomatic sources confirmed that Erdoğan’s protest was the decisive factor behind the reversal.
This abrupt change highlighted the delicate balance of power in Middle Eastern diplomacy, where symbolic gestures can reshape entire peace processes.
Israeli Right-Wing Figures Oppose Netanyahu’s Visit
The controversy also exposed deep divisions within Israel’s ruling coalition. Far-right members of Netanyahu’s government reportedly threatened to resign if he proceeded to attend the summit.
These hardliners argued that sitting beside Muslim leaders — especially Erdoğan, who has accused Israel of war crimes — would undermine Israel’s sovereignty and “humiliate” the prime minister on the global stage.
Adding to the tension, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza. While Egypt is not a signatory to the ICC treaty, his participation in a major international forum would have been politically explosive and potentially embarrassing for the hosts.
Why Erdoğan Couldn’t Be Seen with Netanyahu
For Erdoğan, allowing himself to be photographed shaking hands with Netanyahu would have been political suicide. Domestically, Turkey’s opposition parties and the public have been overwhelmingly critical of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Any image suggesting cooperation with Israel — especially during a summit focused on Palestinian reconstruction — would have been seen as betrayal by Erdoğan’s conservative and pro-Palestinian voter base.
Moreover, Turkey has recently positioned itself as a key player in post-war Gaza stabilization efforts, including proposals to send Turkish forces as part of an international peacekeeping mission. Netanyahu’s attendance would have undermined Ankara’s credibility in that role.
Arab States Also Express Unease
The uproar did not come only from Turkey. Several Arab states that have not normalized relations with Israel expressed discomfort with Netanyahu’s potential presence. Some leaders reportedly considered scaling back their participation had Israel been represented.
The fear was that Netanyahu’s attendance could shift the summit’s focus away from humanitarian aid and reconstruction toward political disputes and ideological divisions.
In the end, the decision to exclude Netanyahu was seen as essential to preserving Arab and Muslim participation — and preventing another breakdown in the already fragile regional diplomacy.
Trump’s Middle East Balancing Act
The episode underscores the difficulties facing Donald Trump as he seeks to reassert his influence over Middle Eastern affairs after returning to the White House. His administration has been pushing to rebuild the Abraham Accords-style normalization framework, urging Muslim-majority nations to accept Israel’s role in future regional initiatives.
But Erdoğan’s defiant stand has shown that normalization efforts remain deeply controversial in the Muslim world, especially while Gaza remains in ruins and war crimes investigations continue.
Analysts suggest that Trump underestimated Erdoğan’s determination — and overestimated his ability to bridge divides with a symbolic invitation. Instead of bringing leaders together, the move nearly derailed the peace summit altogether.
A Warning to Washington and Tel Aviv
The diplomatic standoff also serves as a warning to both Washington and Tel Aviv: regional peace cannot be dictated without considering the sentiments of key Muslim nations.
Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and other influential players continue to demand accountability for Israel’s conduct in Gaza, while pushing for an independent Palestinian state as a precondition for lasting stability.
Erdoğan’s actions demonstrated that Turkey’s influence in the Muslim world remains significant — and that any attempt to isolate or ignore Muslim perspectives on Gaza will face strong resistance.
The Path Forward: Fragile Ceasefire, Fragile Unity
Despite the controversy, the Sharm el-Sheikh summit proceeded as planned — minus Netanyahu. Over twenty world leaders signed a joint ceasefire framework pledging support for humanitarian relief, border monitoring, and post-war reconstruction in Gaza.
Yet beneath the unity displayed on camera, divisions persist. Some Western nations continue to back Israel diplomatically, while Turkey and several Arab states insist on international accountability for war crimes and protection of Palestinian sovereignty.
As one senior diplomat put it:
“The Middle East is not ready for normalization without justice. Erdoğan made that clear today.”
Conclusion: Erdoğan Emerges as Regional Power Broker
In the end, Erdoğan’s bold warning to Trump achieved its immediate goal — Netanyahu’s absence from the summit — and reaffirmed Turkey’s standing as a powerful voice for the Muslim world.
For Trump, it was a sobering reminder that even the most carefully crafted photo opportunities can unravel when historical wounds and political realities collide.
The Gaza peace summit, meant to symbolize reconciliation, instead became a snapshot of the fragile and polarized nature of Middle Eastern diplomacy — and of one leader’s willingness to stand firm when others chose compromise.