Israel to send envoys to Arab countries

(Updates with reaction from Gulf countries; quote from foreign ministry official.)

By GAVIN RABINOWITZ, Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM (AP)–Israel plans to reach out to Arab countries, hoping to harness the momentum of its decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip to reduce tensions with its neighbors, a foreign ministry official said Sunday.

Since the beginning of Israeli-Palestinian violence in September 2000, Israel’s relations with the Arab world have deteriorated substantially, with Jordan and Egypt recalling their ambassadors, and prospective Israeli openings to a number of North African and Persian Gulf countries put on hold.

Now, Israel is trying to reverse the trend.

“There is an attempt to reach the entire Arab world, including those that have no diplomatic ties with Israel, such as Libya and Sudan ,” said Ron Prosor, deputy director general of Israel’s foreign ministry.

Libya has historically been one of Israel’s most intractable enemies, while Sudan is widely regarded in Israel as a supporter of anti-Israel militant groups.

Since Prime Minister Ariel Sharon proposed withdrawing from Gaza earlier this year, there has been more Arab “understanding and attention” to Israel, Prosor said.

However, many Arab officials have been critical of the planned Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a small section of the West Bank, fearing it will allow Israel to strengthen its hold over the rest of the West Bank. Palestinians claim all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip for a future state.

Israel currently has diplomatic ties with just three Arab countries – Egypt, Jordan and Mauritania.

Prosor said Israel already is in diplomatic talks with the United Arab Emirates, but refused to elaborate.

Another official said the talks, aimed at opening an Israeli representative office in Abu Dhabi, are in an advanced stage. The official, who is involved in the negotiations, spoke on condition of anonymity.

The United Arab Emirates declined to comment, but called the Israeli assertions a ploy.

Israel has a representative office in Qatar. A similar one in Oman was closed shortly after Israeli-Palestinian violence erupted in late 2000.

The Israeli official involved in the negotiations said Israel also is planning to send envoys to several other Arab countries as part of its diplomatic offensive. The envoys will bear a note from Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom giving details of the Gaza pullout, to be completed by the end of September 2005.

Egypt, which borders Gaza, has become heavily involved in the pullout plan, pledging to train and reform the Palestinian security forces ahead of the Israeli pullback to make sure the handover goes smoothly.

Israel wants to explain how the plan can further the peace process here, the official said. The envoys will be sent to Qatar, Morocco, Bahrain, Tunisia and Oman. However, the official said, it was not yet clear which – if any – of these countries would accept the Israeli diplomats.

Officials in Oman, Qatar and Bahrain say they have not been approached by Israel about Israeli diplomats visiting.