David M. Weinberg
Jerusalem Post, Aug. 3, 2023
“For Saudi Arabia this means it “must” pull away from oil market coordination with the Russians, and “must” distance itself in all diplomatic and trade matters from the Chinese. For Israel, this means it “must” permanently abandon plans to annex the West Bank, “must” permanently abandon judicial reforms, “must” stop all settlement activity and dismantle outposts, “must” withdraw from territory and give more power to the Palestinian Authority, etc.”
It is important to refute the many arguments being bandied about against a peace deal involving Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United States.
I think that the doubters and naysayers, as well as those who are actively trying to sabotage such an agreement, are wrong. Wrong about the chances for a deal (I think they are high), wrong about the risks of a deal (much lower than feared), and wrong about the worth of a peace breakthrough (much higher than imagined).
The Saudis themselves seem keen on a deal. Faisal J. Abbas, editor in chief of the Saudi Arab News, wrote this week that Saudi normalization with Israel is eminently possible: “It is highly likely that such a deal might be possible.”
“Unlike Tehran,” he wrote, “Riyadh’s position has never been ideological in the sense that we never preached – or to be more precise pretended to preach – throwing Jews into the sea (while secretly getting weapons from Israel during the war with Iraq, as Iran did in the 1980s). Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told The Atlantic magazine last year that the Kingdom sees Israel as ‘a potential ally’.”
Alas, Faisal Abbas’ optimism has been met with brick wall of negativism on the political Left and Right in Israel and in Washington, with analysts and politicians on all sides poring freezing cold water on the likelihood and value of a tripartite US-Saudi-Israeli agreement.
Some people who know the Saudi mind say that Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) will wait for a different US administration before moving forward. He has not and will not forgive US President Joe Biden for whipping and snubbing him over the past three years.
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