By Humeyra Pamuk

SDE BOKER (Israel) – U.S. Secretary Of State Antony Blinken will attend a rare summit in Israel of Arab and Israeli countries on Monday. The aim of the meeting is to reassure Middle Eastern allies about a possible Iran nuclear agreement and gain more support for Ukraine.

Blinken is currently on a three nation Middle East and North Africa trip. On Sunday, he met Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who was positive for coronavirus on Monday. According to a spokesperson for the State Department, Blinken is considered close contacts and will be tested.

Israel calls the summit historical, as do the four Arab countries that are attending, Egypt, Morocco, and United Arab Emirates. The United States’ allies in Middle East have concerns over President Joe Biden’s lack of support for the region.

Washington stated repeatedly that while it was deeply committed to the region, its main focus is elsewhere: strategically on China and near-term Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. This attack began on February 24, and has claimed the lives of thousands.

Blinken tried to comfort allies regarding Iran. Blinken spoke in Jerusalem on Sunday with his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid. He stated that restoring the 2015 nuclear agreement was the best method to control Iran’s nuclear program.

We see eye-to-eye when it comes to what is the most crucial element. Blinken stated that both of us are committed and determined to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.

However, Israel and its allies in the Gulf Arab region remain worried.

Although nuclear talks had been nearing an agreement between the world powers and Tehran several weeks ago, Russia made last-minute demands to the United States. It demanded that US sanctions against Moscow regarding its invasion in Ukraine not have any effect on its trade with Iran.

Bennett spoke with Blinken after talks. Bennett warned that an Iran nuclear deal would not make Israel a nation. Bennett said that Washington should be aware of regional concerns.

Gil Haskel, an Israeli Foreign ministry official said that the moderates were meeting to discuss and form a front to fight extremists.

His words were: “There are nuances, differences in perspectives being discussed and argued about. Some agreement is reached about certain issues, but there’s no question that Iran should not have nuclear weapons.”

ARAB ALLIES

Blinken will also press Arab allies for increased support of Ukraine in order to stop Russia from invading. Many Gulf countries have not yet provided any meaningful assistance. Israel and the Russian leaders have been in talks to try to end the crisis.

The Arab and Israeli countries are expected to meet to discuss ways they can improve their ties, after the three Arab nations that attended normalized ties to Israel in the 2020 Abraham Accords. Egypt’s foreign Minister, who celebrated 43 years peace with Israel last Saturday, will be joining the summit.

The diplomatic summit in Israel was somewhat overshadowed late Sunday by an attack by Arab terrorists. They were identified as Israeli citizens as well as Islamic State sympathisers. Two men were killed in a police shooting.

According to Telegram statement, Islamic State claimed responsibility. Blinken also condemned it.