Saudi Arabia’s crown prince said, in a rare interview, that negotiations over Israel mean the prospects for normalizing relations between the two countries are getting closer.
However, in his interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Mohammed bin Salman stressed that the treatment of the Palestinians remains a “very important” issue that must be resolved.
Saudi Arabia is discussing a deal with the United States to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for a North American defense pact and help in developing the Saudi civil nuclear program.
The Saudis have said any deal will require major progress toward creating a Palestinian state. “For us, the Palestinian issue is very important. We have to resolve this part,” the official said.
“We hope that a point will be reached that makes life easier for the Palestinians and that Israel becomes an actor in the Middle East,” he added.
Mohammed bin Salman also denied reports about the suspension of negotiations and assured: “Every day we are closer.”
The interview was broadcast shortly after US President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Biden expressed concern about the way the Israeli government treats Palestinians and urged Netanyahu to take steps to improve conditions in the West Bank as violence rises in the occupied territory.
Netanyahu’s office said the meeting “mainly addressed ways to establish a historic peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which could significantly advance the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict and facilitate the creation of an economic corridor to connect Asia, Middle East and Europe.”
Asked during an interview about the possibility of working with someone who is a conservative like Netanyahu, or herdeiro prince, he said: “If we have made progress, reaching an agreement that will give Palestinians years or that will precisely pacify the region, we will have to work as we want this to happen.” over there”.
Bin Salman was also asked about the possibility of Iran building a nuclear weapon. “We are concerned about the possibility of some country obtaining a nuclear weapon.” And, if Iran gets it, Saudi Arabia will seek to do the same, he said.
The crown prince has given very few interviews to Western media, especially since the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist, in an operation carried out by Saudi agents that, according to US intelligence, was probably was approved by the prince. who denied any involvement.
“We are trying to reform the security system to ensure that this type of mistake does not happen again. (…) It was a mistake. It was painful,” said Bin Salman, insisting that “everyone involved” served time in prison.
Saudi Arabia has made strides to end the devastating war with the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen and hosted a rebel delegation in Riyadh this week.
The country led Syria’s return to the Arab League and, in March, accepted a Chinese-brokered deal to restore diplomatic relations with Iran, its main regional rival.
Source: TSF
