KHALEEJ TIMES, Saturday, Nov 28, 2020 | Rabi Al Thani 13, 1442
Israeli minister optimistic about Saudi Arabia signing peace deal next
Emirates:
Israel’s foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi is optimistic about Saudi Arabia
signing the Abraham Accords next, after the UAE and Bahrain.
“Saudi Arabia is a major player in the region. It is a very important country in
the region and we are the first to recognise it, and I think it will be
significant if they join,” Ashkenazi, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, told
Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
“I am very optimistic about it because they are already very supportive, they
support the UAE decision, they support the Bahraini decision."
On September 15 this year, the UAE and Bahrain signed the US-brokered peace
deal, normalising relations with Israel.
Ashkenazi said Saudi Arabia has tangibly contributed to the success of the deed
as they allowed Israeli airlines to fly over the Saudi sky. “It is evident that
they are moving in the right direction.”
“They need their time. We understand and we are not pushing.”
Mutual stand with GCC on Iran threat
The foreign minister said the region has changed and that he expects that Israel
and other GCC countries are on the same page when it comes to countering threats
from Iran. “And we may expect.. and you will see that.. mutual voice and
standing when it comes to a stress in the region.”
“I don’t think it will surprise you that like most of the other countries in the
region, we are on the same page, when it comes to stopping Iran from getting
this nuclear capability. And we are on the same page when it comes to the Iran’s
malign activities in the region. We are on the same page when it comes to
preventing Iran from helping the terrorist organisations and supporting
extremism in the region.”
On fast track with UAE
Ashkenazi said both the UAE and Israel are on a fast track after signing the
peace deal as there is a “mutual understanding that we have to seize the moment
and not to lose momentum ‘cause there’s still excitement here”.
“It is not just only the bilateral relationship, I think it’s a message to the
region that it is time to change the course.”
He said that in the next five years, there will be an ecosystem in the region
with other countries, where the base axis is the UAE and Israel.
“We have many things in similar...entrepreneurial spirit, the value of
education, the willingness to contain others and to accept the differences and
diverse opinion. Fairly moderate society, young societies who are interested in
the future and not in the past.”
In the next five years, both Israel and the UAE will have a better future, the
minister said.
“I think we will have a better connection, I think we will have a better
understanding of each other, I think the region will be more stable, more safe
and more connected.”