As a private citizen, Novek said, he has been seeking to expand the peace circle, not only with the Palestinians, but with other Arabs as well.
“We have friends; we communicate with colleagues across the region,” he said. “We are individuals striving for a common goal, trying to educate each other.”To view the full conference, click here>>
Asked about the bilateral potential of the Israel-UAE peace agreement, Novek said it is “enormous on more than one level.”
Israel and the UAE are two leading countries in the region that are driven by science and technology, he said, adding: “We Israelis have a lot to gain from cooperation with the UAE in a variety of fields.”
Dr. Ebtesam al-Ketbi, president of the Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Policy Center, said the peace agreement between her country and Israel could pave the way for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“The UAE still sees an opportunity in its agreement with Israel to revive the peace process between the Palestinians and Israel,” she said.
“The ball is in the Palestinian court,” Ketbi said. “If they want to seize this strategic opportunity, they need to cooperate with the UAE to find a solution. In my opinion, this requires new [Palestinian] leadership.”