Top diplomats in Israel as Mideast dynamic shifts
SDE BOKER, Israel — Israel on Monday hosted the foreign ministers of four Arab nations and the United States in a bid to strengthen its position in a rapidly shifting Middle East.
The gathering brought together the top diplomats from Egypt and three Arab nations — the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco — that signed the so-called Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel under the Trump administration.
But the handshakes and group photos were overshadowed by a deadly attack in central Israel, concern over the potential revival of the Iran nuclear deal and Israel’s still-festering conflict with the Palestinians, who dismissed the conference.
Meeting at a resort in Israel’s southern Negev Desert, the ministers and Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged to expand cooperation to include energy, environmental and security matters and try to bring others into the agreements.
“Just a few years ago this gathering would have been impossible to imagine,” Blinken said. “The United States has and will continue to strongly support a process that is transforming the region and beyond.”
As the ministers gathered late Sunday, a deadly shooting rampage claimed by the extremist group Islamic State killed two young police officers in central Israel. Participants also repeatedly expressed misgivings over Iranian military behavior across the region and the possible renewal of the international nuclear accord.
Jordan, a close U.S. ally that strongly supports Palestinian statehood, declined to attend the meeting. Instead, King Abdullah II visited the Israeli-occupied West Bank in solidarity with the Palestinians.
The high-profile visit — his first in nearly five years — and Jordan’s absence from the ministers’ meeting, were reminders that the Palestinian issue has not disappeared from the regional agenda.
“The region cannot enjoy security and stability without a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue,” the king said as he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who welcomed the visit. Neither leader mentioned the meeting hosted by Israel.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh tweeted that “Arab normalization meetings” that don’t end Israel’s military occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a state “are just an illusion, a mirage, and a free reward for Israel.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said the group was “making history” as he announced the gathering would become an annual event. He said the countries were forming a partnership based on technology, religious tolerance, security and intelligence cooperation.
“This new architecture, the shared capabilities we are building, intimidates and deters our common enemies, first and foremost Iran and its proxies,” he said. “They certainly have something to fear. What will stop them is not hesitation or being conciliatory but rather determination and strength.”
The Arab ministers condemned Sunday night’s deadly shooting in the city of Hadera — but they also repeatedly said it was critical to address the century-old Mideast conflict.
“We did highlight the importance of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, importance of maintaining the credibility and viability of the two-state solution,” said Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry. “This an important issue.”