Muslim Nations
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stated that “six or seven” Muslim nations would sign normalization agreements with Israel once Saudi Arabia followed the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan in joining the Abraham Accords.
Cohen made this statement in an interview with KAN News on Friday. While he didn’t reveal the nation names, he mentioned meeting officials from Muslim nations lacking formal diplomatic ties with Israel.
It’s worth noting that Cohen’s talks with former Libyan foreign minister Najla Mangoush in Rome less than a month ago led to a diplomatic crisis with Libya, resulting in protests and Mangoush’s dismissal.
US officials and Israeli media criticized Cohen for damaging relations with Libya. Cohen’s recent interview followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s UN General Assembly (UNGA) address in New York, where he announced Israel is “on the cusp” of normalizing ties with Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu displayed two maps during the speech, asserting Israel’s claim over occupied Palestinian territories – the West Bank, Gaza, and Syria’s Golan Heights.
He mentioned a “limited window of opportunity” for reaching agreements in the coming months, seemingly referring to securing normalization deals before the 2024 US election season begins. Netanyahu expressed willingness to benefit Palestinians without compromising Israel’s peace.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) echoed Netanyahu’s sentiment, suggesting that a normalization deal is “getting closer.”
However, the Saudi foreign minister stressed that any peace treaty with Israel depends on establishing an independent Palestinian state.
