Palestinians urge Saudi Arabia, UAE to boycott pro-Israel Middle East peace plan summit

The Palestinian foreign minister is asking Arab countries to boycott or downgrade their representation at the upcoming US-sponsored Middle East summit in Poland.

Riad Malki said that Arab nations should at a minimum send low-profile delegations, below ministerial level, to the conference.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE will send foreign ministers, while Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will attend the summit.

Malki says the Palestinians "view the Warsaw conference as a plot against the Palestinian cause".

He spoke on Monday to the Voice of Palestine as President Mahmoud Abbas was to visit Saudi Arabia.

Most Arab nations have refrained from establishing relations with Israel without significant progress being made toward peace with the Palestinians. But many Gulf states share with Israel concerns over Iran's growing influence.

Gulf states - in particular the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain - are becoming more open about their relations with Israel as they find common cause against mutual foe Iran.

In October, Israel's Sports Minister Miri Regev travelled to the UAE, where athletes have been allowed to compete under the Israeli flag for the first time.

It was the first time an Israeli minister made an official visit to the UAE.