Israel improving ties with Arab world

By: Ahmed Hammadi

HELD JERUSALEM: Israel is taking steps to improve its relations with the Arab world, and is in an advanced stage of negotiations with the United Arab Emirates to open a quasi-diplomatic office in the United Arab Emirates to represent Israeli interests in the area, according to Israeli diplomatic sources, cited by a Tel Aviv-based daily.

Officials said Israel will send special envoys to Arab countries in the next few weeks.

A series of envoys are to be sent out bearing a note from Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom giving details of Israel's planned withdrawal from the volatile Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements by the end of September 2005.

The envoys will be sent to Bahrain, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco and Oman. However, the official said it was not yet clear which - if any - of these countries would accept the Israeli diplomats. Israel also plans to send an envoy to Mauritania which has relations with Israel.

The official said Israel is hoping Arab support will mirror that of the United States and the European Union who have already expressed support for the plan.

Negotiations with the UAE to set up the representative office were being conducted secretly, the official said, noting that agreement had been reached on the size and location of the office. Israel currently runs an office in Qatar. A similar one in Oman was closed shortly after violence erupted.

Meanwhile, Israeli opposition leader Shimon Peres said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon must soften policies toward Palestinians.

In other developments, several hundred Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli soldiers and border police Sunday in the West Bank village of Azawiyah. Residents have held a series of demonstrations in recent days against construction of a separation barrier that Israel is building in the West Bank.

Also on Sunday, Palestinian laborers crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip for the first time since Israel barred workers from entering after the killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin three months ago.

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