Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Tuesday that Israel intends to develop a “special security arrangement” with Gulf Arab allies, which have common concerns about Iran.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established formal relations with Israel last year. As part of their US-backed rapprochement, Israel and the UAE have proposed defense and military cooperation.
At a crossroads visit between Israel and Gaza, Gantz played down a report by Kan public radio that Israel was considering a defense agreement with the Gulf countries, but said security ties would be pursued.
“I do not think it will be a defense agreement but we are going to develop defense relations with all the countries with which we have a relationship,” Gantz told Reuters.
“We have this process in place to establish (a) a specific security arrangement, and within this arrangement, we can continue and develop our relationships,” he said.
Gantz declined to go into detail about what such an arrangement would mean.
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UAE Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bahrain’s foreign ministers at the White Accords signing ceremony at the White House
(Photo: AP)
Gantz reiterated that Israel was not opposed to the sale of 50 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth jets to the UAE in a deal agreed during the last days of former U.S. President Donald Trump in office.
The agreement is now under scrutiny by U.S. President Joe Biden.
Asked about Israel’s view on the sale, Gantz said Israel’s “qualitative margin of custody” must be maintained by the United States, adding that the advanced plane was already in the country’s arsenal.
The so-called “Abraham Accords” of the USA, along with Bahrain, has promoted tourism and trade between Israel and the Gulf countries. Palestinians have been critical of the rapprochement, concerned that their own unrealized state goal could be lost.