Former Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen, who played a key role in normalizing relations between Israel and Arab countries, was appointed Israeli Foreign Minister by Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday.
Mr Netanyahu announced Mr Cohen’s appointment during a speech in parliament in which he outlined his government’s direction, which must be ratified by a vote of parliamentarians on Thursday and succeed the colorful coalition led by outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid .
In mid-2020, Israel announced the normalization of its relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, then Sudan and Morocco as part of the “Abraham Accords”.
Mr. Cohen had led the first official delegation led by an Israeli minister to Khartoum in January 2021 as part of the normalization of relations between the two countries.
He takes office at a time when Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to extend the “Abraham Accords” to Saudi Arabia.
“We laid the groundwork for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords. The secret details will be shared with the new prime minister,” Lapid told parliament on Thursday, without elaborating on those “secret details”.
“If the new government continues on the path it has taken, there could be a normalization with the Saudis in the short term,” added the outgoing prime minister.