MBS signals willingness for normalization with 'Israel': Blinken

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: NBC news
10 Jan 2024 19:20

When queried about whether MBS conveyed that normalization was not abandoned due to the events on October 7, Blinken affirmed, "That's correct."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken boards a plane in "Tel Aviv", Palestine, Jan. 10, 2024, during his week-long trip aimed at calming tensions across the Middle East (AP)

Despite the fact that thousands have been massacred so far in the Israeli-led genocide of the people of Gaza, Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), reportedly informed the US that a normalization deal with "Israel" remains on the table, NBC News reports.

In an exclusive interview with NBC on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that the kingdom is ready to proceed with a normalization agreement with "Israel" once the war comes to an end, provided the Palestinians have a clear path to securing their rights.

Blinken noted that MBS, along with other leaders he engaged with during his diplomatic tour in Qatar and the UAE, shares the common goal of achieving so-called "lasting peace" for the entire region.

This pursuit is contingent on the establishment of a Palestinian state, a demand consistent with the US stance which dates back to the Oslo Accords in 1993.

"They want a region that includes Israel. They’re prepared to do things, to make commitments, to give assurances for Israel’s security. But that also has to include the Palestinian piece," Blinken said. "And then you have an integrated region, a peaceful region, a secure region with some outliers, like Iran and its proxies."

When queried about whether MBS conveyed that normalization was not abandoned due to the events on October 7, Blinken affirmed, "That's correct."

"He and virtually every other leader I talk to supports moving forward with integration, normalization if you want to call it. But, of course, the conflict in Gaza needs to end," Blinken said. "And there has to be a pathway for Palestinian rights."

Back in September, during meetings at the UN General Assembly in New York, the potential establishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and "Israel" was a prominent subject of discussion among the leaders and foreign ministers of the three countries.

On Tuesday, the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the UK told BBC News that a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and "Israel" was on the verge of completion when the kingdom suspended US-brokered talks as a result of the Palestinian resistance launching operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

For a while now, Saudi Arabia has been frustrated due to the US refusing to allow the establishment of a civilian nuclear reactor in the country. Saudi authorities say that the reactor would be used exclusively to diversify the economy.

However, this demand is conditioned upon a normalization agreement with "Israel," a difficult compromise given the apartheid nature of the Israeli regime.