Netanyahu Announces 'Significant' Developments in Israel's Relations with Arab Countries

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, announced that there are 'significant' and 'fundamental' developments in his country's secret relations with 'important' Arab countries that do not have official ties with Israel. Netanyahu described these developments as 'revolutionary' and at the level of a 'turning point.' According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Netanyahu made these remarks on Wednesday, July 13, during a graduation ceremony for students of Israel's National Security course at a military base. He stated that these countries 'understand that Israel is not an enemy, but an ally and a support for them against the dangers posed by others (Iran) and threats like ISIS.' The Prime Minister said that in the past, it was always said that once a turning point is reached in the conflict with the Palestinians, our relations with Arab countries would also transform, but now it must be said that the situation has reversed. According to Netanyahu, 'normalizing relations between Israel and the Arab world will also help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and establish stable and conscious peace.' He did not mention the names of these 'very important Arab countries.' Meanwhile, other Israeli media reported that Netanyahu stated Israel's military power and economic capabilities have increased its regional influence. He said, 'We are expanding our political power based on military and economic capabilities, and our influence in the region is increasing to the level of fundamental developments.' Netanyahu and several other officials in his government, such as Yuval Steinitz, the former minister responsible for the 'Iran file,' have previously indicated that 'the time has come for Arab countries to publicly acknowledge their relations with Israel due to shared interests against Iran.' Many observers speculate that the discussions refer to secret developments in Israel's relations with Arab monarchies, primarily Saudi Arabia. Israel has had full political relations with Egypt for about forty years and with Jordan for twenty-two years, although its relations with Cairo and Amman have been cold. However, in his remarks on Wednesday, Netanyahu said that Egypt and Jordan are facing many security challenges, and 'their peace with Israel' will remain intact, as it is 'vital for our future.' Bloomberg reported in recent days, citing a former Israeli official, that recent Israeli helicopter attacks in the Sinai Desert in northern Egypt were conducted with the approval of the Egyptian government. Bloomberg also quoted General Yair Golan, the deputy chief of staff of the Israeli army, who said, 'Cooperation with Egypt has never been as close as it is today.' Nevertheless, Egypt emphasized in a statement on Wednesday the importance of maintaining its territorial sovereignty and independence. Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, visited Jerusalem for the first time in about ten years on Sunday and met with Netanyahu for several hours. Last week, during his African trip, the Israeli Prime Minister mentioned that the president of one of these countries, during a meeting with him, 'picked up the phone and secured the agreement of the leader of an important Arab country to meet' with him; the name of this country and its leader was not disclosed. Saudi Arabia, which has been escalating its crisis with Tehran since severing relations with Iran seven months ago, recently angered Iran by publicly acknowledging some of its relations with the Mujahideen-e Khalq organization. Turki al-Faisal, an influential Saudi prince, spoke at a Mujahideen-e Khalq meeting in Paris this week and expressed hope that the Islamic Republic would be overthrown 'like the legends of the Shahnameh.'