Arab-Israeli summit – Between rejecting Iranian terrorism and supporting the Palestinian people
The Arab-Israeli summit will be held this evening in the Negev desert in Tel Aviv in the presence of a distinguished and strong American.
Foreign ministers from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, three Arab states that were part of the so-called Abraham Accords brokered by former U.S. president Donald Trump’s administration in 2020 to normalize relations with Israel, are due to attend.
The summit will also be joined by Egypt’s foreign minister, whose country on Saturday celebrated the 43rd anniversary of the Camp David peace treaty with Israel.
Observers believe that such a summit would strengthen Arab-Israeli cooperation, as the Arab parties seek to calm the situation in the Gaza Strip, Ramallah and the West Bank before the holy month of Ramadan.
Informed sources revealed that Arab leaders will seek to support the Palestinian cause during the summit, and negotiate with the Israeli side not to escalate during the month of Ramadan.
American presence
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said that before the start of a summit with four Arab countries, Israel and the United States would cooperate in stopping Iran’s nuclear program, despite their differences over the emerging nuclear deal.
During a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who will also attend the summit, Lapid said: “We have differences on the nuclear deal and its consequences, but open and honest dialog is part of the strength of our friendship”.
He continued: “Israel and the United States will continue to work together to prevent a nuclear Iran”.
AFP confirmed that the top diplomat in Washington will try to deepen the Israeli-Arab rapprochement at the summit to be held in the Israeli Negev desert later on Sunday; He may also face opposition to the emerging Iran nuclear deal and questions about the US-Russia conflict over Ukraine.
Agenda
At the start of a regional tour, Blinken will meet Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett before joining Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and his counterparts from four Arab countries at the Sahara-based summit.
At the top of the agenda are Iran’s nuclear talks, about which Israel and the Gulf Arab states have expressed serious concerns, and Russia’s month-long invasion of Ukraine, a conflict in which Israel has emerged as a potential mediator, according to AFP.
Israel’s ambassador to Bahrain, Eitan Neh, told Cannes Public Channel: “I think Blinken will hear a very strong position on Iran from all the countries participating in the summit”.
The nuclear talks were close to an agreement several weeks ago until Russia made last-minute demands to the United States, insisting that sanctions imposed on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine should not affect its trade with Iran.
Blinken’s visit comes at a time when relations with many Middle Eastern countries are facing challenges, with key allies such as Israel and the UAE questioning the Biden administration’s commitment to the region.
While Washington’s strategic focus was on China, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine further complicated America’s foreign-policy priorities; it faced challenges on several fronts.
Arab-Israeli relations
Experts confirmed that the summit comes to strengthen Arab-Israeli relations, as the summit is described as another copy of Camp David.
The experts continued: Arab ministers will seek during the summit to strongly support the Palestinian cause and use it to show their sympathy with the people.
