Saudi Arabia Rules Out Israel Normalization Under Netanyahu
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
A Saudi official indicated that Saudi Arabia will not normalize ties with Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current government, citing his policies as an obstacle to peace. The kingdom desires a two-state solution and links normalization to resolving the Palestinian issue. Reports suggest Saudi Arabia previously worked with other Arab nations to influence Israeli election outcomes against Netanyahu.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Saudi Arabia will not normalize ties with Israel under Benjamin Netanyahu's current government.
- A Saudi official stated the kingdom desires peace and a two-state solution.
- Normalization with Israel is contingent on resolving the Palestinian issue, according to Riyadh.
- Saudi Arabia reportedly worked with other Arab nations to oppose Netanyahu in Israeli elections.
- The kingdom considers the choice of Israel's next prime minister an internal affair.
Saudi Arabia will not consider normalizing relations with Israel as long as Benjamin Netanyahu remains prime minister with his current coalition, a Saudi official close to the kingdom's positions told Kan on Thursday. The kingdom has not yet officially reacted to the results of the Israeli legislative elections.
The official stated that Saudi Arabia desires peace and negotiation, aiming to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian issue based on a two-state solution. However, he asserted that Netanyahu's approach is not aligned with this goal, suggesting the prime minister "only seeks to create problems" and "does not want peace, but escalation." The official clarified that the issue is with Netanyahu's policies, not his person, and that Saudi Arabia has no preference for Israel's next leader, considering it an internal Israeli matter.
Saudi Arabia intends to link any normalization with Israel directly to a resolution of the Palestinian question, rather than prioritizing other regional issues like potential Israeli cooperation against the Houthis in Yemen. "What matters to us is that the next prime minister, whoever he may be, wants to negotiate and resolve the problems that have persisted for 70 years," the Saudi official emphasized.
These remarks follow reports that Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations had worked to bring together Israeli Arab parties before the elections, hoping to contribute to Netanyahu's defeat. Riyadh reportedly engaged in discussions with regional states, with support from Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, to encourage the formation of a unified Arab list. The Saudis believed such an electoral alliance could influence the composition of the next Israeli government, potentially leading to a more pragmatic coalition, especially concerning the Palestinian issue and tensions with Iran.
Mentioned
