A 1970 recording of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser indicating a lack of interest in the Palestinian cause is causing a stir in Egypt, Hebrew media reported Tuesday.

“We have no interest in the Palestinian issue. We will only talk about Sinai. When [the Israelis] leave Sinai, there will be an agreement,” the president says to Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi in the audio clip.

The recordings contradict the public persona of Nasser, who repeatedly threatened to destroy Israel in his speeches, created the Palestine Liberation Organization, led the Arab side in the 1967 Six Day War against Israel, and imprisoned hundreds of Jews after Israel’s victory.

But in the August 1970 recording — aired on his son’s YouTube channel — he showed no interest in fighting Israel.”If someone wants to struggle — let them struggle, and if someone wants to fight — let them fight. But today the Iraqis are telling us — all of Palestine from the river to the sea, or nothing.”

He seemed to think that defeating Israel in battle was a pipe dream.

“If we want to achieve our goals, we must be realistic,” he said to Gaddafi. “You are welcome to........

© The Times of Israel