Israeli ministry officials announced Wednesday that Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni will travel to Qatar next week for a U.N. conference. This will be the highest-profile visit by an Israeli official to Qatar in ten years. In 1996, then-Prime Minister Shimon Peres visited Qatar, paving the way for the development of low-level diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The UN-sponsored conference will focus on democracy. Livni is expected to discuss the perceived potential threat of Iran’s nuclear program, and the situation regarding captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Of all Arab countries, only Jordan and Egypt have full diplomatic relations with Israel. After the signing of the Oslo accords in 1993, however, Israel developed low-level relations with some of the Gulf Arab states, including commerce offices in Qatar and Oman.

After the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada in September 2000, the Omani trade office closed, but Qatar and Israel have maintained a low-level official commercial relationship.

Qatar also provides monetary support to the Palestinian Authority, as well as indirect cash support to Hamas. Because of this relationship, Qatari officials have made a recent bid to assert themselves as a key diplomatic player in the Palestine-Israel conflict.

Despite Qatar’s small territorial size, it cannot be overlooked in terms of its growing political weight and influence. It has a very strong media presence--Qatar is the home of Al-Jazeera, and plans to launch an English-language satellite channel as well-- and its unique relationship with both Israeli officials and Hamas officials could allow the tiny Gulf state to become a political powerhouse. As turmoil in Iraq continues, and Saudi Arabia begins to show signs of instability, Qatar may very well emerge as the new key player from the Gulf region.

A final decision regarding Livni’s travel plans will be made in the next two days, according to Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Amira Oron.