'Six or seven Muslim countries may normalise relations with Israel'
Israel’s Eli Cohen, then economy minister, works at his office in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem November 22, 2017. PHOTO: REUTERS
Israeli media outlets cited Foreign Minister Eli Cohen as implying that "six or seven" Islamic nations were likely to normalise ties with Israel, after Saudi Arabia's potential inclusion in the Abraham Accords, which the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan have already signed.
According to media reports, the Israeli minister claimed to have met with leaders from several Muslim countries, which have not recognised Israel yet. His statement has sparked a debate about which Muslim countries will establish relations with Israel.
Read Israel on cusp of region-reshaping peace with Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu says
However, Cohen did not mention the names of those seven countries due to the situation in Libya, international affairs experts believe.Jalil, in response to the Israeli FM's assertion, clarified that Cohen has not met with any Pakistani official in recent times.
In his address at the 78th United Nations General Assembly this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said peace with Saudi Arabia means peace between the Muslim world and Jews.
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Netanyahu stated Israel was on the cusp of normalising ties with Saudi Arabia while holding maps showing the West Bank, Gaza, and Golan Heights as part of Israel.
Yet, when urged by Riyadh and Washington that Palestinians be included in the diplomacy, Netanyahu was of the view that Palestinians should not be allowed to veto the regional dealmaking.