Saudi-Israeli normalization 'inevitable' - ex-US ambassador
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A former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia says Riyadh will inevitably normalize ties with the Israeli occupation, and it would just be a matter of time.
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Ties have been growing warmer between Riyadh and "Tel Aviv"
Riyadh and "Tel Aviv" normalizing ties is "inevitable," former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Joseph Westphal said Monday, urging US President Joe Biden to mend ties with the kingdom during his upcoming trip to the Gulf state.
"I think [normalization is] coming, that's absolutely coming, and it's inevitable. It's inevitable," Westphal told The National News on Monday. Westphal used to be Washington's ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the Obama administration from 2014 until 2017.
Recent efforts, such as a push by the Biden administration ahead of Biden's trip to the region that will kick off today, have opened the door for the bolstering of ties.
The inevitability of normalization stems from the shift in Saudi Arabia's policy that will take place when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman takes the place of his father, King Salman, Westphal said, calling the matter a "generational shift" while also citing Riyadh and "Tel Aviv's" common security and economic interests.
"King Salman, who I got to know very well when I was there as ambassador and have huge respect for him, he is from the generation that really believes that we should do more to help the Palestinian people," he added. MBS, though, "is of a different generation that sees the world with a different set of lenses."
Saudi's policy, he said, will eventually shift as long as Washington continues working in West Asia and "support[ing] the Palestinian people."
Saudi Arabia and the Israeli occupation have been working closely together in technology, cyberspace, economy, and security, he said, hinting that Riyadh and "Tel Aviv" would grow closer soon.
Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia was described by the former diplomat as "extremely important" in the context of bilateral, regional, and global politics, especially in light of the schism that exists between Washington and Riyadh.
Over the past year and a half, ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia have been deteriorating in light of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and the kingdom's position on oil production, especially following the start of the Ukraine war.
Riyadh has rebuffed requests by the United States for more oil, as Saudi Arabia has the potential of easing pressure on supply and prices, which would mitigate the current economic crisis.
"[Biden] is a bridge builder. He did it for years and years in the Senate, with Republican opponents and sometimes with his own Democrats who opposed him. He will come around and find a way to work with Prince Mohammed and to restore this relationship in a positive [manner]," the former diplomat said.
He proceeded to highlight the "sweeping social and economic reforms" enacted by MBS in Saudi Arabia, hailing the "progress" he made. "He's made mistakes and he's realized those mistakes and now it's time to you to put everything on the table."
Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia will see him attending a GCC meeting on Saturday, during which he will mainly discuss security and regional "defense", he said, noting that the US plays a unique role in the region's security.
"It focuses on things like security, cyber security, intelligence, as well as economic trade and development. In other words, to create a better union of these countries to protect the trade routes," he said regarding the Gulf Cooperation Council meeting.
"This would be just the beginning, the first step, then we will send the secretary of defense, the secretary of state, the secretary of commerce, engage the private sector and others within the region to talk about how we work on all these issues," Westphal stressed.
Reports about Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia visit - ironically - come the same day as White House Spokeswoman Karen Jean-Pierre said Biden's remarks about Saudi Arabia, which he described as a "pariah", still stood.
The Biden admin has been cooperating closer and closer with Saudi Arabia in recent months, especially on the Saudi-led war on Yemen, as Washington pushed Riyadh to extend an armistice with Sanaa. Biden also went as far as praising the role of Saudi officials in the armistice, saying that the country "demonstrated courageous leadership" just because it decided to stop dropping bombs on Yemeni civilians - as it has been doing for nearly a decade.
