Relations with Saudi Arabia can be normal: PM Benjamin Netanyahu – Dainik Savera Times

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed hope that a ‘historic’ deal to establish diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia could be ‘within reach’. A news agency, citing a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, said that Netanyahu’s remarks came after meeting US President Joe Biden in New York on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

It was the first meeting between the two leaders after Netanyahu returns to office in December 2022. The Biden administration is working on an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu told Biden that ‘we can establish a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia.’ He said that ‘such a peace would greatly help advance the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict, achieve reconciliation between the Islamic world and the Jewish State, and advance genuine peace between Israel and the Palestinians.’

Earlier in September, Israel’s National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi said his country and the Palestinian Authority had held direct talks as part of Israel’s efforts to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia. Both Riyadh and Washington have stressed in recent months that any US-brokered agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would require positive developments toward resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.