Livni has surprise meeting with Qatari emir

The two met during a United Nations General Assembly summit in New York after the emir invited Livni and the Israeli delegation to join him in an unscheduled meeting outside of the UN headquarters.

Officials said the meeting was "extremely positive." Livni discussed with the emir the importance of moderate Islamic nations – like Qatar – supporting the Palestinians in advancing the diplomatic process.

Qatari emir addresses UN (Photo: AP)

Diplomatic sources said the meeting had important public relations significance.

Recruiting moderate voices

In the period leading up to the US-hosted Middle East peace conference scheduled for November, Israel is making widespread efforts at diplomacy with the moderate Arab nations of the Persian Gulf.

Both the US and Israel are trying to influence the moderate nations to openly support a Palestinian-Israeli agreement and to back up PA President Mahmoud Abbas' moderate government – instead of Hamas – in diplomatic negotiations. Throughout the UN assembly, the Israeli government received warm and sympathetic treatment from the Persian Gulf countries.