Israel's relations with the Arab world

 

Knesset in Jerus Ohad Zwigenberg / AP  

 

Israel's relations with the Arab world  

Top politician: Too early to talk about an agreement  

 

Normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia are not imminent, despite the fact that Joe Biden expressed hopes for the matter this weekend. This is what Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset's foreign affairs committee, told the Israeli army radio. 

 

- I think it is too early to talk about an agreement being in the works, he says. The New York Times and several Israeli media are reporting this weekend that the two countries may be on the way to a formal rapprochement.  

 

According to the news reporting, a rapprochement could be based on Israel withdrawing from Palestine in one way or another.  

 

Trains in Israel. Picasa/Oyoyoy/Wikimedia  

 

Israel's relations with the Arab world  

Israel is to invest billions in rails - may be drawn to Saudi  

 

Israel invests 100 billion shekels, equivalent to 285 billion kroner, to build a railway that will connect the outskirts of the country with the big city of Tel Aviv. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced this on Sunday, according to Reuters.  

 

Netanyahu calls the railway project the "One Israel project". It comes after months of fierce protests against the government's legal reforms. On Saturday, thousands of Israelis once again filled the streets, according to AFP. 

 

In the long run, the rails should also be able to be drawn to Saudi Arabia, says Netanyahu. This weekend, the New York Times reported that Israel and Saudi Arabia may be moving toward a formal rapprochement. In the past few days, the United States was in Saudi Arabia for another meeting on the matter.

 

 

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. TT 

Saudi Arabia and Israel may be on the way to rapprochement  

 

"Perhaps there is a rapprochement underway." That's what US President Joe Biden says during a campaign meeting in Maine, about the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel. The New York Times and several Israeli media outlets report on the statement.  

 

On Thursday, the Americans made another visit to Saudi Arabia. No breakthroughs were reported, but the fact that two visits have been completed in three months indicates that Biden believes that change is possible, the NYT writes.  

 

But for a rapprochement to be possible, Saudi Arabia wants to see "significant concessions" from Israel, such as concrete signs of leaving annexed parts of the West Bank, Israeli sources state. However, it is unlikely that the current right-wing government in Israel would accept it.  

 

Meanwhile, a normalized relationship with Saudi Arabia would be a major victory for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long wanted to normalize Israel's relations in the Arab world. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in connection with a meeting earlier today. Abir Sultan / AP 

Israel's relations with the Arab world

Analysis: Was a win-win - but this is the Middle East  

Both Israel and Saudi Arabia benefit if their diplomatic ties are strengthened - but so is the United States. That analysis is made by both Alon Pinkas in Haaretz and Andrew Parasiliti on the US-based news site Al-Monitor after the news that a rapprochement may be underway.  

Saudi Arabia may strike a defense pact with the US. The Americans hope to end the war in Yemen and see a Saudi investment in the collapsing rule in Palestine. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees it as a heavy prestige issue, writes Parasiliti.  

In addition, he continues, the position of the three countries against the common enemy Iran would be strengthened with the two US-allied countries on the same team. Nevertheless, the negotiations will be very difficult.  

Alon Pinkas agrees. He has read about a rapprochement many times over the years, and writes acidly:  

"If and when that happens at some point in the future, many analysts and journalists from the Middle East will happily say 'we told you so,' regardless of whether they said it seven, five or three years ago.

An agreement in the near term is unlikely, believes Pinkas, who writes that the reality in the region is always more complicated than at first glance.  

 

"This is the Middle East," concludes the analysis.