Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz attends a cabinet meeting of the new government at the Chagall Hall in the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. Photo: Abir Sultan/Pool via REUTERS

i24 News – Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz wants to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah next week, upon the king’s arrival to Ramallah, according to Israeli media reports published Sunday.

The meeting would take place at the same time as the “Negev Summit,” a six-way meeting with top diplomats from the United States, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Egypt. However, the forum between Gantz, Abbas and Abdullah has not been finalized.

Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, was also informally invited to the summit, according to Haaretz, and is expected to be in Ramallah with the king.

Jordanian and Palestinian officials told Haaretz that Safadi isn’t expected to join the Negev Summit.

Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was not informed of Gantz’s plan, Channel 13 reported Saturday evening. However, the two plan to meet Sunday to discuss Gantz’s proposal.

Bennett is displeased with Gantz for his failure to tell him of his plans, according to political sources who asked not to be identified via Haaretz.

Culture and Sports Minister Chili Tropper said that the event in Ramallah was “not diplomatic but rather security-related. (Gantz) is trying to avoid an escalation at this time,” in an interview with Channel 13.

“The question of (his) participation will be resolved between the prime minister and the defense minister; there is some friction there — I hope it will be resolved in the coming days,” Tropper said.