'Revolution' in Israeli links to Arab countries

Israel's relationship with several Sunni Arab states is undergoing a "revolution", according to Jerusalem's new ambassador to the UK, Mark Regev.

The ambassador indicated that discussions were taking place "as we speak" on deepening security and political ties.

While relations had never been better with Egypt and Jordan, several other Sunni-dominated states were now making explicit their support for Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation, he said.

Other Sunni countries in the region include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

"We are having good conversations. These are new contacts, these are new relationships, there is new cooperation," said Mr Regev, who began as UK ambassador on April 4.

The Israeli envoy hinted that talks were under way with Sunni states over a deal similar to the Arab Peace Initiative.

Under the plan, put forward by Saudi Arabia in 2002, Israel would withdraw from the occupied territories and a "just solution" would be found for the Palestinian refugee problem. In exchange, relations between Israel and the Arab world would be normalised.

With many Sunni states feeling let down by the West following the nuclear deal with Iran, Israel has become a necessary ally against a variety of common threats, from Daesh to the Islamic Republic, he said.

He explained: "When we opposed the Iran deal last year, the US, UK, Germany, China and Russia said to us: you alone are opposed to the Iran deal. And even your best friends are supporting it. Who agreed with Israel? Almost all of our neighbours. And I have no doubt that the perception in the region that some of the major powers got it wrong is bringing us together.

"Does Israel threaten [these Sunni states] in any way at all? No. The same forces that threaten them threaten us - whether it's Sunni extremism - Daesh, Al Qaeda, Al Nusra, the Muslim Brotherhood - or, on the Shia side, Iran, Hizbollah. They see them as a threat. So there has been a realignment, and they see Israel as a strong country on their side of the divide. And so there is something to be hopeful for."

Mr Regev said that Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's televised statement last month that Arab states were willing to discuss changes to the Arab Peace Initiative as a basis for a new round of negotiations with the Palestinians was "very important".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quoted last week as replying that he was "committed to the Arab initiative".

Referring to the Camp David peace talks in 2000, which collapsed when then PLO leader Yasser Arafat rejected an offer of 92 per cent of the West Bank and 100 per cent of the Gaza Strip, Mr Regev said: "People who make excuses for Arafat say that he didn't know if the Arab world would support him."

Today, he said, the attitude in the rest of the Middle East appears to have reversed. "If the Arab world is supporting talks and reconciliation, that is a major change, and that's where we think the focus should be in international diplomacy, because that's where the movement is.

"There's a possibility here to break out of the box in which we are at the moment, but it has to be done carefully and nurtured. One has to be realistic, thoughtful, measured. But there is a path here."

Mr Regev took issue with the peace initiative currently being put forward by the French government, which held a summit of 28 foreign ministers in Paris last Friday without any Israeli or Palestinian delegates present.

"Any plan gives the Palestinians a cover and the excuse that they don't have to directly negotiate with Israel... is a bad initiative," he said.

He also strongly criticised the announcement by former French foreign minister Laurent Fabius that his government would seek a UN Security Council resolution on the creation of a Palestinian state if their peace push failed.

This, Mr Regev said, undermined the French initiative by removing any motivation on the Palestinian side to cooperate and make the necessary compromises.

"We want direct talks with the Palestinians, we think the international community should encourage that. And we're ready for the immediate resumption of peace talks without any preconditions. We'll negotiate. The Palestinians have rejected that. They prefer to run to international bodies where they can get automatic majorities - UN institutions and others."