Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: ‘we get closer’ towards normalising relations with Israel; What it means for US?

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that Saudi Arabia is steadily progressing towards normalising relations with Israel, in an interview with US broadcaster Fox News. This follows similar moves by other Gulf nations amid United States aiming for a Saudi-Israeli agreement, reported Reuters. 

“Every day, we get closer,” said Saudi the crown prince in an interview with Fox News. Long-time foes Israel and Saudi Arabia are set to reach a landmark agreement to open diplomatic relations. He further warned that if Iran gets a nuclear weapon, "we have to get one." The Saudi Crown Prince issued a warning to Tehran despite previous talks in March to restore relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, brokered by China.

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The interview came at a time when US President Joe Biden's administration is also pushing towards negotiating historic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, both of which are key allies of the United States in the Middle East.

When Saudi Arabian prince was asked about what it would take to get a normalisation agreement, he said “For us, the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part.” The prince further added, "And we have a good negotiations strategy till now." He expressed hope that such an agreement would improve the lives of Palestinians and involve Israel as a significant player in the Middle East.

US officials privately highlighted the potential benefits of the regional mega-deal but were apprehensive of it being settled in the near future. This would be a significant foreign policy achievement for President Biden as he seeks re-election in November 2024. The regional mega-deals include removing a possible flashpoint in the Arab-Israeli conflict, strengthening the bulwark against Iran and countering China's inroads in the Gulf.

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting where both leaders pledged to collaborate on Israeli-Saudi normalisation efforts, that could potentially reshape the geopolitics of the Middle East. In the meeting, both leaders agreed that Iran should not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. The Saudi Crown Prince's pre- taped comments were released on the same day. 

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On the Israeli side, concessions to the Palestinians are being pushed by the Saudi Prince to maintain prospects for statehood in the occupied territories, a goal supported by President Biden but with limited support from Netanyahu's government.

This interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier marked Saudi Prince's first appearance on US television since 2019, reported Aljazeera.

(With inputs from Reuters)