Rapprochement with Pakistan not on cards: Israel

Israel is working towards formalising relations with a fifth Muslim country during US President Donald Trump's term, which ends next month, but the country is not Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, an Israeli government minister told Ynet TV on Wednesday.

The White House has brokered rapprochements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco this year. Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister Ofir Akunis was asked if a fifth country could sign up before Trump steps down on Jan 20.

“We are working in that direction. There will be an American announcement about another country that is going public with the normalisation of relations with Israel and, in essence, with the infrastructure for an accord – a peace accord,” he replied.

Akunis declined to name the country but said there were two main candidates. “One is in the Gulf… Saudi Arabia is not. The other candidate, further to the east, is a Muslim country that is not small but is not Pakistan,” Akunis said.