Israel reportedly cancelled a dinner reservation for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after learning Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would be eating at the same restaurant.
Netanyahu’s team had booked tables at New York’s high-end Italian restaurant Serafina Always where PM Nawaz was dining “but decided not to proceed after learning the Pakistani politician would be there,” a source told NY Post.
The source said the decision to cancel was made “for security reasons.”
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Another source said, “He opted not to eat at Serafina after learning Pakistan’s leader would be there. Netanyahu has the best security in the world. But one can assume that it wouldn’t make sense for him to be at a restaurant at the same time as Sharif.”
A witness at Serafina said PM Nawaz dined for three hours on the second floor with his wife, who “looked beautiful” dressed in gold, and 10 others in his entourage, while his security detail occupied two separate tables.
The premier and his guests were reportedly adamant that there could be no alcohol or meat, and ate pizzas and drank sodas. For dessert they ate apple pie, cheesecake and chocolate soufflé.
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When they left the place at 10:30 pm, the NY Post was told PM Nawaz and his wife spoke in Italian to the staff, saying, “Grazie.”
During his speech at the 70th United Nations General Assembly, PM Nawaz said, “Muslims are suffering across the world: Palestinians and Kashmiris oppressed by foreign occupation; persecuted minorities; and the discrimination against Muslim refugees fleeing persecution or war,” he said. “The international community must redress these injustices against the Muslim people.”
This article originally appeared on New York Post.
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