Israel hosting Iraqi, Saudi journalists for the first time: Ministry
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday said that, for the first time, they have hosted a 6-person delegation of journalists from Iraq and Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations.
Their visit comes as Israel aims to improve relations with the Gulf countries, states with which it has no formal diplomatic ties.
The two countries have been standing against the formal recognition of Israel for decades over the “continued occupation of the Palestinian territory.” However, bilateral relations with Israel have warmed lately, mainly due to common concerns over Iran’s influence in the region.
The journalists will be visiting Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, parliament, and holy sites, as well as meet with officials, the Foreign Ministry added in a statement Israel has the reported “aim of exposing the journalists –- some of whom come from countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel -– to Israeli positions on diplomatic and geopolitical issues,” the ministry said, quoted by AFP.
وصل الى إسرائيل وفد من ستة إعلاميين من دول عربية تستضيفه وزارة الخارجية. لأول مرة يشارك في الوفد صحفيون من السعودية والعراق. سيزور الوفد متحف تخليد ذكرى الهولوكوست والكنيست وأماكن مقدسة في أورشليم القدس. ويعقد الوفد اجتماعات مع أعضاء كنيست ودبلوماسيين الى جانب جولة في البلاد. pic.twitter.com/UWzOtVFhm5
— إسرائيل بالعربية (@IsraelArabic) July 21, 2019
Jordanian journalists are also among the delegation, the ministry added.
Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab countries to have official diplomatic relations with Israel.
“The delegation will hold meetings with Knesset members and diplomats as well as tour the country,” the ministry noted.
تستضيف وزارة الخارجية الإسرائيلية هذا الأسبوع وفدا من ستة إعلاميين من دول عربية. لأول مرة يشارك في الوفد إعلاميون من السعودية والعراق.
— يوناتان جونين Yonatan Gonen (@GonenYonatan) July 21, 2019
سيزور الوفد الكنيست ومتحف تخليد ذكرى الهولوكوست وأماكن مقدسة في أورشليم القدس، ويعقد اجتماعات مع أعضاء كنيست ودبلوماسيين الى جانب جولة في البلاد
On his Twitter account, the spokesperson of the Israeli military, Avichay Adraee, stated he was looking forward to meeting with the delegation.
أتطلع للقاء هذا الوفد الكريم ومشاركته هموم إسرائيل الأمنية وصورة جيش الدفاع الاسرائيلي الحقيقية. أهلا وسهلا بالوفد. https://t.co/sQ6H1GHkx5
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) July 21, 2019
Earlier in January, Israeli Hadashot TV reported that three delegations from Iraq secretly visited the country and met with government officials, as well as academics, to discuss Iraqi-Jewish heritage and build a foundation for future ties between the two countries.
Read More: Three Iraqi delegations secretly visit Israel to meet academics, Gov. officials: Report
Days later, Iraqi officials, including Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Hassan al-Kaabi, and Furat al-Tamimi, a member of the Iraqi Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee, slammed the alleged visit and called on the Foreign Ministry of Iraq to launch an investigation.
Read More: Iraqi officials call on Foreign Ministry to investigate Iraqi delegations’ alleged visits to Israel
Editing by Nadia Riva