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Al-Riyadh Newspaper: KSA not in a hurry to normalize with 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
30 Sep 2023 21:54
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Saudi media reports that Riyadh is still deliberating on a suitable formula for realizing a normalization deal with the Israeli occupation.

A man prays at an open-air mosque in front of a Saudi Flag in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 21, 2017 (AP)

Saudi media affirmed that the Kingdom is in no hurry to establish relations with "Israel" under US sponsorship.

Al-Riyadh, a leading Saudi newspaper, published a piece today titled "A Different Peace" highlighting that negotiations on crucial matters will be a protracted process, and that reaching common ground among the negotiating parties is expected to take longer than anticipated.

The newspaper underscored that negotiations for establishing relations with "Israel" will unfold in phases, with an additional track focused on creating a conducive atmosphere before realizing the normalization deal.

This approach aims to build an agreement on clear foundations, ensuring that each party comprehends its dues and gains should an agreement come to fruition.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman admitted that Saudi Arabia was getting closer to normalizing ties with the Israeli occupation in an interview with Fox News released, last week, on September 20, adding that if Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, "we have to get one."

"Every day we get closer," Bin Salman said when asked to describe the discussions focused on normalizing diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and "Israel".

Responding to a question on the requirements of a normalization deal, the de facto Saudi leader claimed that "the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part." Adding that there had been "good negotiations" so far.

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached a consensus last week that the extensive agreement with Saudi Arabia should be rooted in the idea of safeguarding the potential for a future Israeli-Palestinian so-called "two-state solution".

With the 2024 presidential campaign drawing closer, the Biden administration is actively working to advance the agreement with Saudi Arabia and "Israel," as it remains a prominent focus on Biden's agenda.

Biden did not present Netanyahu with a specific list of demands for concessions to the Palestinians. Instead, he conveyed his desire for "Israel" to take actions that would preserve the possibility of a two-state solution with the Palestinians, as relayed by an Israeli official and an informed source familiar with the meeting.