Report: PM stayed away from Egypt summit to avoid blowback from base for joining Abbas, other controversial Mideast leaders

Channel 12 reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reversed his decision to attend today’s summit in Egypt due to concerns of blowback from his political base and members of his right-wing coalition if he were to join a gathering that included Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other controversial Arab and Muslim leaders such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Netanyahu has long asserted that the PA will not be allowed to play a role in the post-war management of Gaza, repeatedly likening Ramallah, which backs a two-state solution, to Hamas.

Erdogan has been one of Israel’s fiercest critics throughout the Gaza war, comparing Netanyahu to Hitler.