Several world leaders gathered at the international peace conference organized in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh resort on Monday to end the Gaza war. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor, Emir of Qatar, Egyptian President, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the presidents of Britain, France and Jordan participated in this conference.
The main purpose of this high-level meeting was to find a way to end the conflict in Gaza and find a way to permanent peace in the region. During the conference, Erdogan remained very active, he held bilateral talks with several leaders and lightened the atmosphere with jokes. Apart from this, Erdogan also advised Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to quit smoking in a joking manner.
In a lighthearted moment during the conference, Erdogan jokingly told Meloni, “You look great, but I have to quit smoking.”
A video of the conversation has gone viral on social media. French President Emmanuel Macron, who was standing nearby, laughed and said, “This is impossible.”
In response, Meloni laughed and said, “I know… but if I quit smoking, I might become less social, I don’t want to kill anyone.”
According to reports, Erdogan also jokingly said, “Turkey is working towards a ‘smoke-free future,’ so wherever I go, I encourage people to quit smoking.”
However, the most controversial absence from the conference was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which his office had already clarified.
According to sources and a Turkish official, Turkish President Erdogan and several other leaders have diplomatically opposed Netanyahu’s potential participation. Netanyahu’s office had no immediate comment.
