Defense Minister Gantz and ambassadors at Iftar event
Defense Minister Gantz and ambassadors at Iftar eventElad Malka

Defense Minister Benny Gantz hosted a celebratory Iftar dinner on Monday evening with Abraham Accords ambassadors and the diplomatic staff of neighboring countries with which Israel has peace accords, during which he stressed Israel values freedom of worship and emphasized the dangers of a nuclear Iran.

"I have been communicating with the leaders of your countries. Israel values freedom of worship and we will do everything in our capacity to enable it, while an extremist group - the minority - aims to harm it,” Gantz said during the event. “It is important for us that this message is brought to the leaders of your countries. You are aware of the reality on the ground and it is important to reflect it to the leaders of your countries."

The dinner was attended by U.S. Charge D’Affaires Mr. Jonathan Shrier; Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco, H.E. Abderrahim Bayoud; UAE Ambassador H.E. Mohamed Al Khaja; UAE Deputy Chief of Mission, Mr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi; Bahrain Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Abdulkarim Ebrahim Abdulkarim Alanansari; and Counsellor at the Embassy of Egypt, Mr. Walid Talaat Sayed Ahmed Mahdy.

It was also attended by MKs Ruth Wasserman Lande and Ofir Akunis, who lead the Knesset Abraham Accords Caucus.

At the beginning of the event, Gantz welcomed the ambassadors and wished them a blessed month and Ramadan Kareem. He added that the Abraham Accords and the ties that have developed over the past year have benefited the region tremendously and that the relations between Israel and Egypt and Jordan serve as beacons of stability.

Regarding Iran, Gantz said: “We all have an interest to maintain regional peace and stability, particularly in the face of Iranian aggression - which is a global and regional threat first and foremost, and only then it is a threat to the State of Israel. Iran sponsors terror around the world, and the possibility of a nuclear Iran threatens us all."

Gantz updated the ambassadors about his intention to open the Israel-Gaza Erez border crossing and about confidence-building measures taken over the past year vis-a-vis the Palestinian Authority.