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A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 29 March 2022
Arab, U.S. top diplomats in Israel as Mideast dynamic shifts

By MATTHEW LEE territories.
SDE BOKER, Israel (AP) — Bahrain's foreign minister,
Israel on Monday hosted Abdullatif al-Zayani, said
the foreign ministers of the need to cooperate was
four Arab nations and the made "more urgent" by at-
United States in a bid to tacks by Iranian-backed
strengthen its position in a militant groups and the un-
rapidly shifting Middle East. resolved nuclear issue.
The gathering brought to- "We need to put into prac-
gether the top diplomats tice the principles behind
from Egypt and three Arab the accords, mainly those
nations — the United Arab of dialogue, coopera-
Emirates, Bahrain and Mo- tion and mutual respect,"
rocco — that signed the so- he said. "By doing so, we
called Abraham Accords will demonstrate to the
to normalize relations with whole region what can be
Israel under the Trump ad- achieved by working to-
ministration. gether."
But the handshakes and Blinken sought to address
group photos were over- the concerns about Iran on
shadowed by a deadly Sunday, saying that the U.S.
attack in central Israel, sees "eye to eye" with Israel
concern over the potential on the goal of making sure
revival of the Iran nuclear Iran never builds a nuclear
deal and Israel's still-fester- After meeting for the Negev Summit, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, weapon.
ing conflict with the Pales- left, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, U.S. Secretary of Underscoring regional anxi-
tinians, who dismissed the State Antony Blinken, Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, and United Arab Emirates' For- eties, Israel's government
eign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, pose for a photograph Monday, March 28,
conference. 2022, in Sde Boker, Israel. hastily arranged the meet-
Meeting at a resort in Isra- Associated Press ing of top diplomats from
el's southern Negev Desert, Arab countries that have
the ministers and Secretary tinian statehood, declined based on technology, re- and substantive talks broke normalized relations with Is-
of State Antony Blinken to attend the meeting. In- ligious tolerance, security down more than a decade rael. Sudan, the fourth Arab
pledged to expand coop- stead, King Abdullah II vis- and intelligence coopera- ago. country to normalize ties
eration to include energy, ited the Israeli-occupied tion. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali with Israel during the Trump
environmental and secu- West Bank in solidarity with "This new architecture, the Bennett has said he oppos- administration, is mired in
rity matters and try to bring the Palestinians. shared capabilities we are es a Palestinian state and turmoil following a military
others into the agreements. The high-profile visit — his building, intimidates and has no intention of restart- coup in October and did
"Just a few years ago this first in nearly five years — deters our common en- ing peace talks. Instead, not attend the meeting in
gathering would have and Jordan's absence from emies, first and foremost he has called for steps to Israel.
been impossible to imag- the ministers' meeting, were Iran and its proxies," he improve economic condi- The two-day gathering,
ine," Blinken said. "The Unit- reminders that the Pales- said. "They certainly have tions for the Palestinians to with Blinken, took place at
ed States has and will con- tinian issue has not disap- something to fear. What will help reduce tensions. the kibbutz in the Negev
tinue to strongly support a peared from the regional stop them is not hesitation The Biden administration Desert where Israel's found-
process that is transforming agenda. or being conciliatory but has meanwhile been work- ing father, David Ben-Guri-
the region and beyond." "The region cannot enjoy rather determination and ing to renew the 2015 in- on, retired and is buried.
As the ministers gathered security and stability with- strength." ternational nuclear deal Lapid on Monday visited
late Sunday, a deadly out a just and comprehen- The Arab ministers con- with Iran. The agreement Ben-Gurion's grave with
shooting rampage claimed sive solution to the Pales- demned Sunday night's placed curbs on Iran's nu- Blinken. But the Arab min-
by the extremist group tinian issue," the king said deadly shooting in the city clear program in exchange isters did not join them, cit-
Islamic State killed two as he met with Palestinian of Hadera — but they also for billions of dollars in sanc- ing scheduling issues. Such
young police officers in President Mahmoud Ab- repeatedly said it was criti- tions relief. a visit would have been
central Israel. Participants bas, who welcomed the cal to address the century- With support from Israel, the a remarkable step given
also repeatedly expressed visit. Neither leader men- old Mideast conflict. Trump administration with- the sensitivities with the
misgivings over Iranian mili- tioned the meeting hosted "We did highlight the im- drew from the deal in 2018, Palestinians over Israel's
tary behavior across the by Israel. portance of the Israeli- causing it to unravel. establishment. Palestin-
region and the possible re- Palestinian Prime Minis- Palestinian peace process, Although Iran has since ians blame Ben-Gurion for
newal of the international ter Mohammad Shtayyeh importance of maintaining raced ahead with its nucle- their "naqba," or catastro-
nuclear accord. tweeted that "Arab nor- the credibility and viability ar program, Israel and Gulf phe, the term they use for
Jordan, a close U.S. ally malization meetings" that of the two-state solution," Arab countries are deeply the mass displacement of
that strongly supports Pales- don't end Israel's military said Egypt's foreign minis- concerned about restor- hundreds of thousands of
occupation of lands the ter, Sameh Shoukry. "This an ing the original deal. Israel Palestinians during the war
Palestinians want for a important issue." fears it does not include surrounding Israel's estab-
state "are just an illusion, a The Biden administration enough safeguards to pre- lishment in 1948.
mirage, and a free reward has urged Israel and the vent Iran from developing Blinken on Sunday also trav-
for Israel." Palestinians to take steps to nuclear weapons. eled to Ramallah in the oc-
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair reduce tensions and cre- Both Israel and its Gulf al- cupied West Bank to meet
Lapid said the group was ate conditions for eventu- lies also believe that relief with Abbas and stress to
"making history" as he an- ally renewing peace talks. from economic sanctions him the U.S. commitment to
nounced the gathering But it has made clear that it will allow Iran to step up its help the Palestinian people
would become an annual has no immediate plans to support for militant groups and encourage a resump-
event. He said the countries press the sides to renew ne- in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Ye- tion in long-stalled peace
facebook.com/arubatoday/ were forming a partnership gotiations. The last serious men and the Palestinian talks with Israel.q