Arab FMs arrive in Israel for conference with Blinken

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (R) welcomes Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Sde Boker, southern Israel's Negev desert, on March 27, 2022. A two-day conference began on Sunday night between Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and his visiting counterparts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt in southern Israel's Negev desert. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A two-day conference began on Sunday night between Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and his visiting counterparts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt in southern Israel's Negev desert.

It marks the first time that Israel hosts a meeting with Arab foreign ministers.

U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken will participate in the conference on Monday, according to a statement from Lapid's office.

An emerging nuclear deal between Iran and world powers is expected to be on top of the agenda for the conference, according to Israeli state-owned Kan TV.

Seeing Iran as its arch-foe, Israel has been a vocal opponent of a nuclear deal with Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday that "Israel's foreign relations are experiencing a good period."

Last week, Bennett attended his first-ever trilateral summit with Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi in the UAE, in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. 

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (L) welcomes Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Sde Boker, southern Israel's Negev desert, on March 27, 2022. A two-day conference began on Sunday night between Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and his visiting counterparts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt in southern Israel's Negev desert. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua)

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (L) welcomes Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Sde Boker, southern Israel's Negev desert, on March 27, 2022. A two-day conference began on Sunday night between Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and his visiting counterparts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt in southern Israel's Negev desert. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua)

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (L) welcomes Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in Sde Boker, southern Israel's Negev desert, on March 27, 2022. A two-day conference began on Sunday night between Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and his visiting counterparts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt in southern Israel's Negev desert. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua)