Israel expresses willingness normalization with Arab states

TEL AVIV

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he saw an opportunity to "enlarge peace accords" after the end of a 12-day war against Iran.

"We have fought with determination against Iran and achieved a great victory. This victory opens the path to dramatically enlarge the peace accords," he said in a video address.

His comment was an apparent reference to the Abraham Accords, U.S.-sponsored agreements struck by Israel to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.

After the war with Iran, Israel said it would refocus on its offensive in Gaza, where Hamas militants are holding Israeli hostages.

"As well as the freeing of our hostages and victory over Hamas, a window of opportunity has opened" for broader peace accords, Netanyahu said in his video.

"We must not miss it. We must not lose a single day."

The Abraham Accords were overseen by Donald Trump in 2020 during his first term as U.S. president.

Saudi Arabia also opened talks with Washington on the prospect of normalizing ties with Israel.

Following the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, a controversial billboard appeared in central Tel Aviv, showing leaders of Arab nations that do not maintain diplomatic ties with Israel — namely Saudi Arabia, Syria, Oman and Lebanon — alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The photo of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was also included in the billboard.

The billboard, commissioned by a group called the "Regional Security Coalition," bore the slogan “A New Chance for a New Middle East” and also featured leaders from countries that normalized relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, such as Bahrain, the UAE and Morocco.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff recently announced that Washington would soon unveil significant updates regarding countries potentially joining the Abraham Accords, stating, “We expect normalization from many countries.”

According to a report by Israel’s Hayom news outlet, Netanyahu and Trump reached a verbal agreement to end the war in Gaza within two weeks.

In return, countries like Saudi Arabia and Syria would establish diplomatic ties with Israel, while other Arab and Muslim nations might follow. Israel would also express support for a conditional two-state solution, while the U.S. would recognize Israeli sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank.