Negev Forum Working Groups Convene In Abu Dhabi

Working groups for the upcoming Negev Forum convened in Abu Dhabi on Monday to discuss the recent tensions in Jerusalem.

Attended by senior officials from the United States, Israel, Egypt, Bahrain, Morocco, and the UAE, the meeting came two years after the 2020 signing of the Abraham Records, which paved the way for the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan to join Egypt and Jordan in establishing ties with Israel.

Officials from these countries convened in the wake of the controversial visit by Israel's new national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to Al Aqsa Mosque Compound, which sparked tensions in Jerusalem. The visit drew global condemnation, especially among neighboring Arab states, with Jordan describing it as a violation of international law and "the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem."

The Israel Foreign Ministry said the meeting in Abu Dhabi was the third held by the Negev Forum working groups. While the first meeting took place in Bahrain in June 2022, the second was held virtually in October 2022.

The meeting also came a day after Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid held a meeting with UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed Israel's deepening relations with the UAE. In a tweet following the meeting, Lapid said the meeting also included discussions on the upcoming Negev Forum.

"We talked about the continuation of the activities of the Negev Forum that convenes in Abu Dhabi, and about the ways to deepen our close relationship for the benefit of both countries, peoples, and regional stability," he wrote on Twitter.

The Negev Forum is slated for next month in Morocco and will be attended by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. A US delegation that will attend the forum includes foreign policy adviser Derek Chollet, senior official for public diplomacy and public affairs Liz Allen, and arms control expert Mallory Stewart.

The forum was established in March 2022 in Negev, Southern Israel, as part of the normalization deals established between Israel and its neighboring Arab nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. During the first forum meeting, working groups were formed to enhance cooperation among the countries in the areas of regional security, education, health, tourism, and water security.