Friday, July 11, 2025
spot_img

Biden’s hope to set up Israel-Saudi relations may become a casualty

Date:

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

Washington, Oct 10: Less than three weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat beside President Joe Biden and marvelled that a “historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia” seemed within reach – a diplomatic advance that he predicted could lead to lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.
Biden was equally optimistic, telling Netanyahu during their meeting in New York, “If you and I – 10 years ago – were talking about normalisation with Saudi Arabia, I think we’d look at each other like, Who’s been drinking what?'” Now, the outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinians after a devastating Hamas attack on Israeli soil is threatening to delay or derail the yearslong, country-by-country diplomatic push by the United States to improve relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours.
The so-called normalisation push, which began under former President Donald Trump’s administration and was branded as the Abraham Accords, is an ambitious effort to reshape the region and boost Israel’s standing in historic ways.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Hamas attacks may have been driven in part by a desire to scuttle the United States’ most ambitious part of the initiative: the sealing of diplomatic relations between rivals Israel and Saudi Arabia. Notably, several Arab nations including Saudi Arabia are putting their weight behind Palestine. Though the Middle East’s two greatest powers share a common enemy in Iran, a generous military and financial sponsor of Hamas.
Such a pact between Jerusalem and Riyadh would be a legacy-defining achievement for Biden, Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It’s one that could pave the way for even more Arab and Muslim-majority nations to abandon their rejection of Israel since its 1948 founding in lands long inhabited by Palestinians. Under Trump, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco all signed on to normalisation agreements with Israel. (AP)

spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

22 Maoists, including eight females, surrender in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, July 11: In a significant development in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, 22 Maoists laid down their arms on...

BJP looting land, forest, water: Rahul Gandhi at ‘save Constitution’ rally in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, July 11: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday targeted the BJP, alleging that the ruling party has...

Centre plans Rs 1,345 crore subsidy scheme to boost production of Rare Earth magnets

New Delhi, July 11: The Indian government has drawn up a scheme to offer subsidies to the tune...

We missed no targets in Pak, not even a glass pane broken in India: NSA Doval on Op Sindoor

New Delhi, July 11: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday addressed the convocation ceremony at IIT...