US expresses concern over Jordan’s absence from Negev Forum, aims to resolve conflict
-
Sulaiman
- . January 9, 2023
- . Update: January 9, 2023 11:42 pm
The United States (US) expressed concern over Jordan’s expected absence at the latest Negev Forum gathering, which is scheduled toNegev Forum take place on Monday and Tuesday.
A senior State Department official said that Jordan’s absence could affect the gathering as Jordan has a peace agreement with Israel. While briefing The Times of Israel, the official revealed that Jordan would not attend the gathering.
The Negev Forum gathering of Israel and Arab allies along with the US is aimed at strengthening the Abraham Accords and the normalisation process between Israel and its neighbours, especially Palestine.
The signing of the Abraham Accords saw relations normalised between Israel, Bahrain and Morocco. The Abraham Accord, mediated by the US, was the first Arab-Israeli peace deal in 26 years.
Recently, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to discuss the strategic US-Jordan relationship.
According to a senior US official, the Joe Biden administration also briefed the Palestine Authority (PA) on developments at the Negev Forum. The US official also said that the gathering would talk about advanced projects that can boost the Palestinian economy.
Read Also | Arab Countries to Mediate Talks With Yemeni Insurgents
Read Also | Israeli Minister Orders Removal Of Palestine Flags From Public Spaces
Recently, five Negev Forum countries condemned Israel as Itamar Ben Gvir visited Temple Mount, which houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Jordan views itself as a custodian of the Temple Mount. This could be one of the reasons why Jordan has chosen not to participate in the Negev Forum gathering.
Reportedly, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Israel said the status quo must be maintained at holy sites. The spokesperson also urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stand firmly for the preservation of the status quo.
In March 2022, the top diplomats from Egypt, Morocco, Bahrain, and the United States arrived in Israel to participate in the Negev Summit. Building on the normalisation ties started by the 2020 Abraham Accords, the ministers talked about the diplomatic relations of Israel with other leading nations in the Arab region.
In June 2022, senior diplomats from Israel, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, and the US met in Manama, the capital of Bahrain. A senior US official said that Arab countries were looking to improve relations with Israel.
