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Israeli FM holds ‘first and fascinating’ meeting with unnamed Arab foreign minister

Katz said he discussed cooperation and how to deal with Iran, in a meeting which took place on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly opening.

By World Israel News Staff 

Foreign Minister Israel Katz says he has met with an “Arab” foreign minister and agreed with his counterpart to advance cooperation between Israel and the unnamed country.

Katz has arrived in New York for the annual opening of the United Nations General Assembly, leading the Israeli delegation after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed out in order to stay in Israel as negotiations take place toward forming a new government following the September 17 election.

The Iranian threat has brought Israel closer to various Arab countries with which the Jewish State does not have official diplomatic ties, primarily in the Gulf, because these Arab states also feel threatened by the Islamic Republic.

Katz, before becoming foreign minister, visited Oman in November 2018 after Netanyahu held talks in the same Gulf state in October.

Katz, already as foreign minister, met with his Bahraini counterpart in July during a visit to the U.S. and reportedly with an undisclosed official from the United Arab Emirates. He also holds the position of intelligence minister.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Katz said he had met with an Arab foreign minister on the “sidelines” of the General Assembly event and referred to it as a “first and fascinating” encounter in which cooperation was discussed.

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“We had an in-depth discussion on the regional reality and ways to deal with the Iranian threat while also agreeing on a process to promote civilian cooperation between the two countries,” wrote the Israeli foreign minister.

Katz is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Thursday, the same day as Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas.