Israel's Netanyahu says relations with Arab world 'best ever'

Israel's leader Binyamin Netanyahu has claimed relations with the Arab world are at their strongest in Israel's history as he promotes improved international relations under his watch.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab & agencies

06 September, 2017

Netanyahu claims Israeli-Arab relations are their strongest ever [Getty]

Israel's prime minister says the country is enjoying its greatest relations ever with the Arab world, even without a peace accord with the Palestinians.

Israel has peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan. In recent years it has grown closer to Sunni nations over shared concern about Iran's growing influence in the region.

Last week, the Israeli embassy in Cairo resumed some services after some diplomatic staff returned to Egypt following an eight month closure.

Jordan's relations with Israel were strained in July, however, after an embassy guard in Amman shot dead two Jordanians.

Protests followed demanding the closure of the embassy.

Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations are hesitant to normalise ties before a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has been charged with helping to restart Israeli-Palestinians negotiations which have been frozen since talks collapsed in 2014, but has so far made little progress.

Netanyahu has been promoting Israel's improved international relations under his watch. Next week he makes a first visit to South America.