Israeli Minister Yisrael Katz (C) enjoys a warm welcome in Oman in 2018. (Facebook) (Facebook)
Katz Oman

Israel’s foreign minister Yisrael Katz recently met with a “high ranking persona” from the United Arab Emirates to improve ties between Israel and Arab states.

By Associated Press

Yisrael Katz, who serves as Israel’s foreign minister, announced at a meeting on Tuesday that he and a a “high ranking persona” from the United Arab Emirates reached “substantial agreements” during a recent meeting.

He added that he was working toward “transparent normalization and signed agreements” with Gulf states.

Katz commented, “We do not have a conflict with [these states].”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has often boasted of improving ties with Arab states that share Israel’s concerns about Iran. Katz visited the UAE for a U.N. conference earlier this year. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said he met with a senior UAE official there. Netanyahu visited Oman last year.

While the Palestinians refusal to reach an agreement with Israel was historically seen as an obstacle to publicly improving ties with Arab states, this issue’s importance appears to be receding in the Arab world.