In leaked recordings from closed door meetings held on the sidelines of the Warsaw conference last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that unlike his past claims, Arab states are not rushing to normalize ties with Tel Aviv before a peace agreement with Palestinians.
“Of course, it is true, if we make progress and have formal peace with Palestinians, it will help us with the Arab world," Netanyahu said.
His statements were made at a time when his political fate is still unclear as he faces possible charges in corruptions cases.
“I don’t think any of us should reject the plan by the American administration before it is even presented,” the Israeli PM said about US President Donald Trump’s initiative known as the ‘Deal of the Century’.
Netanyahu told Arab leaders at the same meeting in Warsaw that Israel knew peace was a "one-way street.”
“For Israel to be at peace or normalize relations with the broader Arab world, we must have Israel and Palestinian peace. Since peace was not forthcoming, we were stuck with no options,” he said in the leaked recordings.
