Egypt Daily News – Israeli media outlets revealed the “real reason” behind the visit of the President of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder, to Egypt and his reception by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Israeli news website Kikar reported that the visit came just days after remarks by the Israeli ambassador to Washington, Yael Lempert, who accused Egypt of “deliberately violating peace agreements with Israel,” citing the construction of Egyptian military bases in Sinai designated for offensive weapons.
The website explained that these statements angered Egyptian officials, prompting the President of the World Jewish Congress to head to Cairo to ease tensions. Lauder held a meeting with President El-Sisi and the head of Egyptian Intelligence, Mr. Hassan Rashad, during which he expressed support for Egypt’s position and praised its efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.
According to a report published by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, two senior Egyptian officials stated that Lauder arrived in Cairo urgently to calm the situation following Ambassador Lempert’s remarks. During a meeting with Jewish leaders in the United States, Lempert had claimed that the Egyptian military bases in Sinai represented a “blatant violation of peace agreements” and questioned, “Who will the Egyptian army target?”
The report added that Lauder affirmed his commitment to President El-Sisi’s stance during the meeting, expressing appreciation for Egypt’s role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas. He also expressed his anticipation for the Egyptian plan to be presented at the Arab Summit regarding the future of Gaza and reconstruction plans.
During the meeting, Lauder was provided with the text of Ambassador Lempert’s remarks, as well as El-Sisi’s position, which emphasized Egypt’s commitment to “establishing a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.” A senior Egyptian source stated that Lauder “felt embarrassed” by the remarks and repeatedly stressed the importance Israel places on its peace agreement with Egypt. The source noted that the main purpose of Lauder’s visit was to “extinguish the flames ignited by the ambassador’s words.”
An official statement from the Egyptian presidency stated that the discussions focused on Egypt’s efforts to achieve regional peace and establish a Palestinian state. President El-Sisi emphasized the importance of “all concerned parties, including Israel, acting with full responsibility to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire.”
The statement added that Lauder expressed his appreciation for Egypt’s role in achieving peace in the Middle East, affirming his anticipation for an Egyptian proposal regarding Gaza. Lauder stated that peace represents “new hope” and must be achieved through a two-state solution.
