Israel hopes to build on the Abraham Accords and establish diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia.
Reaching a deal to normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia will be “a long and cautious process”, but Israel believes it can happen, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said on Monday.
Israel has said it hopes to build on its 2020 US-brokered accords with four Muslim nations and establish diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest two sites, has conditioned any eventual normalization with Israel on the addressing of the Palestinians’ quest for statehood on territory captured by Israel in 1967 Six Day War.
Saudi Arabia agreement will be different from Abraham Accords
Lapid, speaking on Army Radio, said that should an agreement emerge, it would not come in a surprise announcement as it did with previous deals, which include agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
“We will not wake up one morning to a surprise, rather it will be a long and cautious process on both sides. There are security interests for both countries”
READ ALSO: Sudan lifts state of emergency after deadly anti-coup protests
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to Army Radio, May 30
He added it would be a “slow process of small details” but that he believed a deal could be reached.
“We are working on this with the Americans, with some of our friends in the Gulf countries, in many different echelons. Egypt is of course a significant player,” Lapid said.
According to a report, Israeli FM says Israel working on normalization with Saudi Arabia.
‘We’ve already said that this is the next step after the Abraham Accords… a long and careful process’
Israel is working with the United States and Gulf Arab nations towards normalizing ties with Saudi Arabia, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said Monday.
“We believe that it is possible to have a normalization process with Saudi Arabia. It’s in our interest,” Lapid told Army Radio.
“We’ve already said that this is the next step after the Abraham Accords, to talk about a long and careful process,” he added, referring to Israel’s normalization in 2020 with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.
“We’re working with the US and the Gulf states on this.”
While Jerusalem and Riyadh do not share official diplomatic relations, ties have recently warmed – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman sees Israel as a strategic “potential ally” in fighting Iranian influence in the region.
However, the act of normalization with the kingdom would be a lengthy process comprised of small steps, Lapid noted, stressing that both countries must prioritize their own security.
“This won’t happen the same way it did last time,” Lapid said in reference to the rapidly agreed upon Abraham Accords.
“It could be that three foreign ministers after me, someone will be standing on the podium and will celebrate this — which is completely fine; this is how one runs a state.”
His comments came shortly after a senior Israeli official reportedly visited Saudi Arabia for talks on security and other cooperation, as well as covert talks between US and Saudi officials last week.
