What relations does Israel have with the Arab world?
Israel, which is about the size of Wales and with a population of seven million, is located among 22 Arab states with a combined population in excess of 300 million, covering a land mass larger that Europe. Egypt and the other North African states are to Israel’s west and southwest; Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq are to the east; Syria and Lebanon are to the north; and the Gulf states are further afield. When Israel was founded, the Arab world refused to recognise it and enforced a strict economic boycott. But since the late 1970s, Arab states have started to recognise Israel and build political ties with it. Egypt was the first Arab state to make peace with Israel, concluding a peace treaty in 1979. The PLO recognised Israel in 1993 and was followed by Jordan in 1994. With the development of the Oslo peace process, more Arab states began to establish ties with Israel, and Israel opened trade representation and interest offices in Oman, Qatar, Morocco and Tunisia. The economic boycott w
Israel, which is about the size of Wales and with a population of over seven million, is located among 22 Arab states with a combined population in excess of 300 million, covering a land mass larger that Europe. Egypt and the other North African states are to Israel’s west and southwest, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq are to the east and Syria and Lebanon are to the north. When Israel was founded, the Arab world refused to recognise it and enforced a strict economic boycott. But since the late 1970s, some Arab states have recognised Israel and built political ties with it. Egypt was the first Arab state to make peace with Israel, concluding a peace treaty in 1979. The PLO recognised Israel in 1993 as part of the Oslo peace process. This paved the way for the signing of a peace agreement between Israel and Jordan in 1994. With the development of the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, more Arab states began to establish ties with Israel. Israel opened trade representation
