CORRECTION - Israel eyes new normalization deals after US polls

CORRECTS ‘ALGERIA’ TO NIGER IN DECK, THIRD GRAF

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israel will intensify normalization talks with five countries following the Nov. 3 presidential election in the US, according to an Israeli minister.

"After signing the agreement with the United Arab Emirates, I said there would be other agreements with a country from the Gulf and a country from Africa, and later Bahrain and Sudan joined the historical path," Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen said recently in a statement.

"There are five others, namely Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, Niger and Morocco, and negotiations with these countries will intensify after the US presidential elections," he added.

So far, the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan have announced that they are normalizing ties with Israel in a move that has drawn widespread condemnation from Palestinians as a “betrayal” of their cause.