“US government actively promotes diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia” – WSJ

by times news cr

2024-04-19 16:41:00

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The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 18th (local time) that the U.S. government will actively pursue the long-delayed establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia in the coming months. Negotiations to establish diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel have been halted due to the war in Gaza.

The U.S. government plans to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to promise to establish a Palestinian state in order to establish diplomatic relations.

The U.S. government also plans to support the construction of a nuclear power plant in Saudi Arabia and propose a more formalized military relationship with the United States.

U.S. officials say that with several countries joining forces on the 13th to effectively block an Iranian attack on Israel, it has become clear that close relations with Saudi Arabia are effective in preventing Iranian security threats to Israel.

◆Efforts to mediate diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel have been halted due to the war in Gaza.

But persuading Prime Minister Netanyahu to agree to the creation of a Palestinian state remains a challenge. This is because the majority of Israeli right-wingers and citizens are opposing the establishment of a Palestinian state following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 last year.

Saudi Arabia has emphasized the importance of establishing a Palestinian state for decades and has proposed a two-state Israeli-Palestinian solution as a condition for establishing diplomatic relations with Israel. In this regard, Saudi officials have recently privately indicated that they would be more interested in negotiating diplomatic ties if Israel verbally promised to agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state. Saudi officials also said that negotiations to establish diplomatic relations would help end the war in Gaza. The United States is planning a plan for Arab countries to send troops to the Gaza Strip to ensure its security after the war. In response, some Arab countries are suggesting that Israel agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state as the top condition.

On the 18th, the United States exercised its veto on the Palestinian Authority’s plan to join the UN, which was submitted to the UN Security Council. U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said it was premature, saying that the Palestinian Authority’s accession to the United Nations would “not achieve the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

A U.S. official said that if the U.S. persuaded Saudi Arabia to agree to negotiations to establish diplomatic relations, but Israel opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, a high-ranking U.S. official could publicly present the benefits that Israel gains from establishing diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia through a speech.

◆High-ranking U.S. officials plan to emphasize Israel’s interests following the establishment of diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken presented some of the U.S. position at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos earlier this year.

He said at the Davos Forum, “Unlike before, Arab countries and Islamic countries outside the Middle East are establishing relationships with Israel. “These countries are absolutely convinced that the path leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state must be opened, and we believe the same,” he said.

The United States intends to check China’s expansion of influence in the Middle East by strengthening the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States through diplomatic negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Saudi Arabia’s goal is to secure a firmer security support commitment from the United States. The goal is to help the United States prevent Iran’s missile and drone threats.

Secretary Blinken visited Riyadh on the 20th of last month and met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and announced that an agreement was within sight.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was also scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia earlier this month, but the visit was canceled due to an accident in which he broke his ribs.

Arab officials say a ceasefire in the Gaza war increases the likelihood that Saudi Arabia will agree to some of the U.S. proposals. However, Israel-Hamas negotiations to exchange hostage release and a ceasefire are currently at a standstill. Additionally, Israel’s determination to attack Hamas in Rafah remains firm.

The White House announced that Sullivan expressed concern about the Rafah attack in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s close allies, the Secretary of Strategy and the Chairman of the National Security Council, on the 18th and said that “a broader range of military partners” would strengthen Israel’s security.

◆If Israel attacks Rafah, it could harm negotiations and strengthen Israel’s isolation.

The U.S. government has been openly concerned that Israel’s attack on Rafah would greatly isolate Israel from the international community at a time when sensitive negotiations are underway over diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia and the handling of the post-war Gaza Strip.

However, Prime Minister Netanyahu has taken a hard line that he will not accept a ceasefire without the complete elimination of Hamas and has argued that the establishment of a Palestinian state would harm Israel’s security.

Among Israeli government officials, the person who shows the greatest interest in establishing diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia is Minister Benny Gantz. As a member of the three-member war cabinet, he is also Prime Minister Netanyahu’s strongest rival. He currently enjoys the most support in Israel.

Minister Gantz said earlier this month that negotiations to establish diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia and for moderate Arab countries to take charge of Gaza’s security are “in sight.” He has not stated his position on the establishment of a Palestinian state since October 7 last year, but has often emphasized compromise and peace in the past.

Israeli leaders who agree to the two-state solution also worry that agreeing to the creation of a Palestinian state would amount to compensating Hamas for attacking Israel.

According to a public opinion poll conducted in Israel last January, 59% of Jewish Israelis opposed the creation of a Palestinian state.

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2024-04-19 16:41:00

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