‘Why are you buying weapons?’ Egypt’s Sisi reveals tense exchanges with Netanyahu

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly raised concerns about Egypt’s growing military strength, recalling a direct confrontation in which the Israeli leader asked: “Why are you arming yourself? Why are you buying weapons?”

Sisi said he assured Netanyahu that Egypt would never pose a military threat to Israel, insisting that Cairo’s military buildup was intended to preserve peace in an increasingly volatile Middle East. “I have never viewed Israel’s strength as a threat to me,” he told Netanyahu, arguing that Israel should extend the same trust to Egypt. He stressed that maintaining a powerful military was essential to protecting regional stability, including the peace between the two countries.

The Egyptian president also disclosed that he had repeatedly pressed Netanyahu since 2013 to accept the establishment of a Palestinian state, arguing that it would deliver genuine regional stability and pave the way for Israel’s full integration into the Middle East. But his appeals failed to change Netanyahu’s position. “He was not convinced. He was not convinced,” Sisi said.