Arab league prepares to reject Israel as a Jewish state

Arab foreign ministers met on Sunday to finalize the agenda of a two-day Arab summit this week in Kuwait, where they are expected to reject Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, Asharq Al-Awsat reported, citing Kuwaiti Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al Sabah and Kuwait News Agency, KUNA.

KUNA reported that “top diplomats will be discussing draft resolutions on the Palestinian cause, the Arab–Israeli conflict and activating the Arab peace initiative, since US Secretary of State John Kerry said the Israelis and Palestinians could not reach an agreement by next month.”

“They will reject recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, which, if happens, would undermine the right of the Palestinian people to return to their lands and the compensation of Palestinian refugees,” KUNA said.

Asharq Al-Awsat cited diplomatic sources as saying, “This follows the realization that an agreement was not going to be reached by April, which marks the end of the nine-month deadline announced by Kerry in July 2013.”

Thirteen heads of state have confirmed attendance at the meeting that begins on Tuesday, the first Arab summit to be hosted by Kuwait since it joined the Arab League in 1961.

Kuwaiti Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah told Asharq Al-Awsat that the summit will seek to find solutions to a number of ongoing issues, adding that, “Wisdom always prevails among Arab leaders during difficult times.”

Last week, Nabil Elaraby, head of the Arab League, called on Arab countries to take a “firm stand” against recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, at an Arab Foreign Ministers conference in Cairo, the Associated Press reported.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas made similar comments, saying there is “no way” he would recognize Israel as a Jewish state. PA-based Al-Quds newspaper quoted U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki as saying, “The American position is clear, Israel is a Jewish state. However, we do not see a need that both sides recognize this position as part of the final [U.S.-brokered peace] agreement.”