Israel’s Energy Minister Karine Elharrar waits for the start of a meeting during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain, November 2, 2021. Alberto Pezzali/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar said Tuesday that the welcome she received from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at a conference in Cairo a day earlier was “surprising” and “exciting,” and made her feel “great pride.”

The Egyptian premier crossed the large conference room in order to greet and converse with Elharrar, who was there to discuss gas, oil, and other energy issues with ministers from various Middle Eastern and North African countries.

“I was very surprised that he came straight to me and it was very important to him to welcome me,” Elharrar recounted in comments to Israel’s N12 news outlet.

Sisi, she said, “told me he was very happy that I came to the conference. You have to understand that we’re talking about an energy conference that has been held for five years and never had Israeli representation. It was not a given that we would be there.”

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett remarked on the gesture on Monday, writing, “President al-Sisi, you’ve touched us all.”

President al-Sisi, you’ve touched us all. https://t.co/1kYBZgznEx

— Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט (@naftalibennett) February 14, 2022