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Israel is in secret talks with several Arab states on establishing ties, inaddition to its US-backed deal struck with the UAE, Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu said Sunday.
“There are many more unpublicised meetings with Arab and Muslim leaders tonormalise relations with the state of Israel,” he said on the eve ofIsrael’s first commercial flight to the United Arab Emirates.
The historic flight follows the August 13 announcement of a US-brokeredagreement to normalise relations between the two countries, making the UAEthe first Gulf country and only the third Arab state to establish relationswith Israel after Egypt and Jordan.
The Monday morning flight will carry a US-Israeli delegation led on theAmerican side by White House advisor Jared Kushner, who stood next toNetanyahu during the Israeli premier’s remarks.
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Israel and the UAE announced on Aug. 13 that they would normalisediplomatic relations in a deal brokered by Trump. The agreement reshapesthe Middle East order, from the Palestinian issue to relations with Iran.
On Saturday, the Gulf power announced it was scrapping its economic boycottagainst Israel, allowing trade and financial agreements between thecountries.
Officials from the two countries have said they are looking at cooperationin defence, medicine, agriculture, tourism and technology. -AFP
