During his address to the U.N. General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed an optimistic perspective, asserting that Israel stands on the brink of a momentous breakthrough that could lead to a peace accord with Saudi Arabia. Throughout his approximately 25-minute speech, he adopted an optimistic tone and illustrated the stark contrast between Israel's isolation at the time of its establishment in 1948 and its current status, with six nations having normalized relations, including four that did so in 2020 under the banner of the Abraham Accords.
Netanyahu articulated, "There's no doubt that the Abraham Accords marked the beginning of a new era of peace. However, I firmly believe that we are on the verge of an even more significant breakthrough, a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Such a peace agreement would genuinely reshape the landscape of the Middle East."
However, several obstacles stand in the way of realizing such an agreement. These include Saudi Arabia's insistence on progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state—a challenging proposition for Netanyahu's government, known for its hawkish stance, making it the most conservative in Israel's history. The Saudis are also seeking a defence pact with the United States and assistance in developing their own civilian nuclear program.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hinted in a recent Fox News interview that the two sides are making progress toward an agreement, although he did not provide detailed information regarding the U.S.-led negotiations. He refrained from specifying the precise Saudi demands concerning the Palestinians.
Netanyahu emphasized that the Palestinians "could significantly benefit from a broader peace" and suggested their involvement in the process. However, he underscored that they should not hold veto power over the proceedings.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in his address to the General Assembly the day before, did not directly address efforts to forge a normalization pact between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, he reiterated the central importance of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has continued to deteriorate since the signing of the Abraham Accords.
Abbas stressed, "Those who believe that peace can be established in the Middle East without the Palestinian people fully enjoying their legitimate national rights are mistaken."
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