Netanyahu sees deal with Palestinians as key

JERUSALEM – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel isn't likely to be able to sign peace treaties with Arab states without a deal with the Palestinians, but asserts that it can enjoy covert ties with many of them.

Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday at the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference and was notably silent on the issue of President Donald Trump's anticipated announcement later in the day recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The prime minister said that while relations with Arab states have thawed, "it doesn't mean that we can make peace treaties yet with the Arab world without some kind of movement with the Palestinians."

He says: "Peace treaties, no, everything else below that, yes, and it's happening."