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25-09-2023
JERUSALEM: Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen Friday said that “six or seven” Islamic nations are expected to sign a normalization agreement with Tel Aviv once Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) joins the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan in the Abraham Accords.
“Six or seven nations from Africa and Asia will join the peace deal with the Saudis,” Cohen told KAN News on Friday, September 22.
“I’m telling you, I have met with several officials from Muslim nations with which Israel does not share formal ties,” Israel’s top diplomat added without identifying the names of the nations.
A significant diplomatic issue with Libya was sparked less than a month ago by Cohen, whose office disclosed that then former foreign minister of Libya, Najla Mangoush, had met with him in Rome.
Mangoush was fired as a result of the discovery, which also caused widespread protests in North Africa, and fled to London. Following his error, US officials reprimanded Cohen for “killing” the conduit of communication with Libya, The Cradle reported.
Additionally, Israeli media reported a Mossad agent who claimed that Cohen’s actions “dealt immense damage to the ties formed (with Libya) in recent years,” adding: “He burned the bridge. It’s irreparable.”
Cohen’s interview with the media followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the UN General 
Assembly, where he claimed Israel is “on the cusp” of normalizing ties with Saudi Arabia while holding maps showing the West Bank, Gaza, and Golan Heights as part of Israel.
Netanyahu later stated that Israel has a limited opportunity to reach an agreement in the coming months, citing the White House’s rush to secure the normalization deal before the 2024 US election season, according to Fox News.
“I am willing to consider benefits to the Palestinians without jeopardizing the peace of Israel,” Netanyahu added before repeating claims he made at the UNGA, saying “We must not give the Palestinians a veto over new peace treaties with Arab states.”
Netanyahu’s remarks were repeated earlier this week by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who declared that a normalization agreement is “getting closer” every day.
His remarks, however, come two days after the Saudi foreign minister emphasized that the establishment of a Palestinian state of independence is a must for any peace agreement with Israel. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
