Saudi, Israel “at the cusp” of a historic agreement – Benjamin Netanyahu
Relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia are on the verge of turning a new leaf as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the U.N. General Assembly on Friday that his country is “at the cusp” of a historic breakthrough leading to a peace agreement with the leading Arab country.
He did not comment on the possible obstructions such an accord may likely face.
“There’s no question the Abraham Accords heralded the dawn of a new age of peace. But I believe that we are at the cusp of an even more dramatic breakthrough, an historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia,” Netanyahu said. “Peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia will truly create a new Middle East.”
There are various impediments to such an accord, including the Saudis’ desire to actualise progress toward the establishment of a Palestinian state, which is difficult for Netanyahu’s government, the most devout and nationalist in Israeli history, Associated Press reported.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman indicated this week in an interview with Fox News that the two sides are moving nearer to an agreement, without going into any detail about the US-led talks. He refused to say what the Saudis want for the Palestinians.
Netanyahu said the Palestinians “could greatly benefit from a broader peace,” saying: “They should be part of it, but they should not have a veto over the process.”
In his address to the General Assembly on Thursday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made no direct reference to efforts to establish a normalization accord between Israel and Saudi Arabia. However, he emphasized the importance of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis which has only gotten worse since the Abraham Accords were signed.
Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians failed more than a decade ago, and violence has risen dramatically in the last year and a half, with Israel conducting frequent military raids in the occupied West Bank and Palestinians targeting Israelis in reprisals.
