Netanyahu eyes 'dramatic expansion' of peace accords

The end of Israel's war with Iran opens the door to a "dramatic expansion" of Middle East peace accords, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.

Mr Netanyahu said Israel was "working hard" on expanding peace agreements, amid hopes the ceasefire in Iran could be followed by a truce in Gaza and progress towards longer-term peace in the Middle East.

The US is also calling for an expansion of the Abraham Accords in which Israel established relations with several Arab countries, including the UAE and Bahrain. Israel's diplomatic standing has been damaged though by the 20-month war in Gaza and its opposition to Palestinian statehood, which is seen as the key quid pro quo in any peace settlement.

Tensions in the Middle East spiralled dramatically after Israel attacked Iran this month, triggering 12 days of air strikes and bombings. The US entered the war last Sunday with an attack on nuclear sites in Iran, which retaliated by firing missiles at an American base in Qatar. A ceasefire ensued.

"We fought valiantly against Iran - and achieved a great victory. This victory opens up an opportunity for a dramatic expansion of the peace agreements. We are working hard on this," Mr Netanyahu said.

"Along with the release of our hostages and the defeat of Hamas, there is a window of opportunity here that must not be missed. Not even a single day must be wasted."

Mr Netanyahu has long pursued peace agreements with Arab states. In 2020 Israel signed the Abraham Accords, during US President Donald Trump's first term.

A deal with Saudi Arabia is seen as the biggest prize but the war in Gaza is seen as having derailed the prospects. The kingdom has said it will not enter diplomatic relations with Israel until Palestinian statehood is achieved, which Mr Netanyahu fiercely opposes.

Mr Trump used his Gulf visit to urge Saudi Arabia to recognise Israel. There have also been quiet talks between Israel and the new regime in Syria, although the Israeli military has also shelled the occupied Golan Heights.

"We see a new era in which perhaps some of these Gulf and Arab states could sign on to the Abraham Accords," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a news briefing on Thursday.

"When the President met with the new president of Syria, that was one of the requests that he made - for Syria to sign on to the Abraham accords."

The Israel-Iran war forced the postponement of a French and Saudi-led conference on Palestinian statehood, where a deal for states to recognise Israel and Palestine had been mooted.

Any expansion of the Abraham Accords could also face opposition from Israeli hardliners. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Thursday that he would reject any peace deal that came in exchange for "a Palestinian terror state".

"If there are countries that want peace for peace - welcome, but if they want a Palestinian state, they can forget about it. It won’t happen," he said.

The right-leaning Israel Hayom newspaper reported on Thursday that discussions had been held between the US and Israel about bringing Saudi Arabia and Syria into the accords. It said a peace plan could also include Arab countries helping to administer Gaza if Hamas is removed from power.

Jihan Abdalla contributed to this report from Washington