BICOM

Interviewed by a Saudi Arabian publication, Dore Gold, Director General of Israel’s Foreign Ministry emphasised that Israel and many Arab states have common interests, especially over the regional threat posed by Iran.

Gold’s interview with the Elaph online news service signals unprecedented public contact between an Israeli official and a Saudi media outlet. Gold emphasised that “We have common interests concerning the Iranian threat, not only Tehran’s nuclear program, but also Iran’s activities on the ground, and its repeated attempts to use the Shiite sect in the Arab world, to make them a fifth column among those states.” Since taking office earlier this year, Gold has prioritised growing relations with Arab countries. He has overseen the re-opening of Israel’s Embassy in Egypt and for the first time Israel plans to open a diplomatic mission in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), under the auspices of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) which is based in the city.

Gold is described in the article as being close to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who told the United Nations’ General Assembly in September that “Common dangers are clearly bringing Israel and its Arab neighbours closer.” Gold also confirmed that “intensive talks” are taking place between Israel and Turkey to resume diplomatic ties after a five-year hiatus. He said, “There are issues that have been agreed upon and issues that are still under dispute, but things are moving in the right direction” and underscored that the two countries share similar “economic, security and regional interests.”

Gold also candidly admitted that Israel has taken action to prevent weapons being transferred from Syria to Hezbollah. He stressed that “We in Israel do not take sides and do not interfere in the Syrian war.” However, he said that “When we saw that there are those who wanted to transfer Russian missiles from Syrian warehouses to Hezbollah, we had to disrupt that activity… we will not allow it.”