Israeli-Saudi normalization may be finalized in Q1 of 2024: Cohen

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
21 Sep 2023 19:20
1 Shares

Israeli opposition figure Yair Lapid insists that such a deal must not gift Riyadh a road to nuclear weapons.

Israeli occupation Foreign Minister Eli Cohen (AFP)

Israeli occupation Foreign Minister Eli Cohen pointed out on Thursday that details of the Israeli-Saudi agreement to normalize ties could be finalized in four or five months' time.

"Existing differences can be overcome. It will take time, but there is progress. I think there is certainly a possibility that in the first quarter of 2024, four or five months from now, that is, there will be a moment when we can finally negotiate all the details," Cohen said in an interview for the Israeli occupation army radio.

The Israeli Minister's statements come shortly after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman admitted that Saudi Arabia was getting closer to normalizing ties with the Israeli occupation in an interview for Fox News released on Wednesday.

"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.

He continued, "We got to see where we go. We hope that will reach a place, that it will ease the life of the Palestinians, get Israel as a player in the Middle East."

Earlier, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after a meeting with US President Joe Biden in New York that a US-backed deal to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia was possible. Biden has been pushing the Israeli occupation to agree to a normalization peace deal with Saudi Arabia.

"I think that under your leadership, Mr. President [Biden], we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia," Netanyahu told reporters, adding that it could "go a long way" to achieve peace between "Israel" and the Palestinians.

Touching on the Iranian nuclear program, Bin Salman expressed concerns about Iran possibly developing a nuclear weapon, despite Tehran repeatedly rejecting claims it seeks to build a nuclear bomb.

"That's a bad move," he commented. "If you use it, you got to have a big fight with the rest of the world."

"If they get one, we have to get one," Bin Salman told Fox News.

US and Israeli media reported, citing sources close to the negotiations, that Riyadh's acquisition of nuclear technologies is one of the conditions for Saudi Arabia to agree to normalize relations with "Tel Aviv".

The Washington Post cited on Wednesday Israeli sources as saying that Netanyahu has instructed top Israeli nuclear security experts to assist US negotiators in reaching a compromise that could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium.

Israeli opposition figure Yair Lapid welcomed on Thursday a possible normalization agreement between "Israel" and Saudi Arabia but emphasized that such a deal must not gift Riyadh a road to nuclear weapons.

"A normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia is a welcome thing. But not at the cost of allowing the Saudis to develop nuclear weapons. Not at the cost of a nuclear arms race throughout the Middle East," Lapid indicated in a statement.

"The Saudi crown prince already spoke yesterday about the possibility of Saudi Arabia having nuclear weapons. All his life, Netanyahu fought precisely against such moves. These are the foundations of our nuclear strategy," he added.

Following bin Salman's revelation, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi considered on Wednesday that "the initiation of a relationship between the Zionist regime and any country in the region, if it is with the aim to bring security for the Zionist regime, will certainly not do so."

"We believe that a relationship between regional countries and the Zionist regime would be a stab in the back of the Palestinian people and of the resistance of the Palestinians," Raisi told a news conference as he attended the UN General Assembly.