Kerry was meeting with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the six-member bloc of Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab nations that fear Shia Iran’s increasing assertiveness in the region and the implications of the agreement. In addition to Iran, the ongoing conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen were high on the agenda.
Opening the meeting, Qatari foreign minister Khalid al-Attiya said the gathering was being held in ‘’very exceptional circumstances and challenges that have been unprecedented.’’
“We are facing many challenges in our communities and we are aiming to achieve peace and security and stability with the help of the United States,’’ he said. He stressed the importance of keeping the region free “of any threats of nuclear weapons’’ and ‘’the importance of the use of nuclear energy and technology for peaceful purposes’’ only.
Al-Attiya spoke of the urgency of resolving the crises in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, but also complained that ‘’the Middle East is suffering from the failures of the peace process due to the Israeli occupation’’ of Palestinian land. He accused Israel of “intransigence’’ in dealing with the Palestinians and said it must end its “illegal blockade of Gaza.’’
“We call on the United States of America to exert more efforts to go back to the peace process,’’ he said before journalists were ushered out of the room.
Kerry, who did not speak while reporters were present, is not traveling to Israel on this trip and US leverage with the current Israeli government is limited, given prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vehement and vocal opposition to the Iran deal.
US officials rejected suggestions that Kerry was not visiting Israel this week because the administration has given up hope on convincing Netanyahu of the merits of the agreement. Kerry’s main goal, however, is to follow up on a May meeting that president Barack Obama hosted for Arab leaders at Camp David. At that meeting, Obama promised Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates enhanced security cooperation and expedited defense sales to guard against a potential Iranian threat.