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World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder arrived in Cairo on Tuesday for a swiftly arranged meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and the country’s intelligence chief, General Hassan Rashad after Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yehiel Leiter accused Egypt of "deliberately undermining its peace agreements with Israel." Leiter claimed that Cairo was "building up an enhanced Egyptian force in Sinai."
According to statements from the Egyptian presidency, the discussion focused on Egypt’s efforts to achieve regional peace and establish a Palestinian state. El-Sissi emphasized his desire for "all involved parties," including Israel, to "act with full responsibility" to ensure that the ceasefire remains in place. Lauder, in turn, praised el-Sissi for his "proper leadership."
However, two senior Egyptian officials revealed that Lauder had rushed to Cairo in an effort to ease tensions following Ambassador Leiter’s blunt statements. In a broadcasted conversation with Jewish leaders in the United States, Leiter had claimed that "the Egyptian bases established in Sinai are primarily for offensive weapons, which constitutes a blatant violation of the peace agreements"—and questioned: "Who is the Egyptian army preparing to attack?"
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Although Leiter’s remarks were quickly deleted from online platforms, they had already been reported by American and Israeli media, which noted that this was the first time a senior Israeli official had accused Egypt of such a significant violation of the peace accords. In response, ten of Egypt’s most prominent television hosts took to the airwaves to "defend the nation’s honor," ridiculing the ambassador’s statements. One after another, they declared, "No one wants to go to war—but if we must, we are ready and prepared."
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Lauder sought to reassure his Egyptian counterparts, emphasizing his commitment to the president’s position, highlighting the strong relationship between Egypt’s presidential palace and American Jewry, and praising Egypt’s efforts—under el-Sissi’s leadership—to achieve peace in the Middle East. He also expressed anticipation for Egypt’s forthcoming proposal at the Arab summit regarding Gaza’s future and reconstruction plans.
El-Sissi confirmed that he would participate in the upcoming mini-Arab summit in Riyadh over the weekend and would expand on these issues at the full Arab League summit in Cairo, where 22 Arab leaders are expected to attend. He stressed that "reconstruction plans will proceed without displacing Gaza’s residents." Lauder, in turn, congratulated the Egyptian president on his "wise counsel."
A senior Egyptian official told Ynet and its sister publication Yedioth Ahronoth that Lauder appeared embarrassed when presented with a transcript of Ambassador Leiter’s remarks. The transcript included el-Sissi’s statements asserting that Egypt "is committed to establishing a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with its capital declared in East Jerusalem." Lauder did not respond. "It was clear to us," the Egyptian official said, "that Lauder understands Egypt’s role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, and he repeatedly emphasized Israel’s appreciation for the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. There is no doubt that Lauder came to defuse the tensions sparked by the ambassador’s comments. It was important for him to reaffirm the respect the U.S. holds for the peace agreements."
This is not the first time Israel has accused Egypt of violating the peace accords, but tensions have escalated due to President Donald Trump’s request that el-Sissi absorb a significant portion of Gaza’s population into Egyptian territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "gave the impression" that he was open to the American plan.
Meanwhile, a mini-Arab summit is set to take place this week in Riyadh, attended by leaders from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf states, with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also expected to participate. The meeting is intended to prepare for the full Arab League summit in Cairo, originally scheduled for February 27. On Monday, the event was postponed to March 4. Arab League Deputy Secretary-General Hossam Zaki attributed the delay to "logistical issues." Behind the scenes, however, it was made clear that the U.S. administration had expressed strong dissatisfaction with the summit’s agenda, prompting the postponement to allow for a more moderated final statement.