An Israeli official disclosed to the Times of Israel on Tuesday that Tel Aviv is ready to comply with a recent U.S. request and rename the Negev Forum for Regional Cooperation, thus dissociating it from the mindset of the unilateral “Jewish state.”
An unnamed Arab diplomat affirmed the proposal, hailing it as a positive development that could encourage additional nations to join the contentious summit.
Israel’s Channel 13 reported on Monday that the US communicated a request for a more inclusive designation affirming the participation of the forum’s Arab members, including Egypt, Bahrain, Morocco, and the U.A.E.
The inaugural Negev Summit, hosted by former Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, united the respective foreign ministers of Egypt, Bahrain, Morocco, the U.A.E. and the US. Egypt holds the distinction of being the first Arab state to establish peace with Israel, while the latter three established relations through the Abraham Accords in 2020. The Negev Forum presently encompasses six working groups.
Although Jordan received an invitation, it opted out of participating in subsequent working groups. Israel’s readiness to modify the appellation might be interpreted as an effort to obtain Jordan’s attention and secure its commitment to this year’s summit.
This move could also reflect the desire of Foreign Minister Eli Cohen’s government to distance itself from the terminology coined by Lapid, who is now an opposition leader, as stated by the Times of Israel.
In response to the announcement, Lapid took to social media, criticizing the government for “folding” and claiming that it lacks any semblance of nationalist pride.
The timetable for the second summit–scheduled to take place in Morocco–remains pending, as it had been originally planned for March but was postponed due to concerns over unrest in Jerusalem during Ramadan.
The US proposal comes on the heels of a period of strained relations between Israel and its Arab partners. No recent significant dignitary visits have occurred between the parties, and the U.A.E. and other Gulf nations have consistently launched public attacks against Israel’s new, more hawkish leaders and policies.