Posted on 09/28/23
| News Source: JPost
The American diplomat emphasized both the transformative potential and the formidable challenges involved in the process
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Thursday about the growing prospects of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
The American diplomat emphasized both the transformative potential and the formidable challenges involved in the process.
Blinken highlighted the profound impact that normalization could have on the region, saying, "First, it would be transformative if we can get there. You would go from a region where there have been, as you know better than anyone, decades of turmoil – go back to 1979, even earlier – and moving that to the prospects for a much more stable and integrated region, to have at the same time a rapprochement by the leading country in Islam with Israel, that would have reverberations well beyond the Middle East. So if it can be achieved, I think it would be transformative."
However, he acknowledged the complexities involved, stating, "Achieving it is not easy. There are really hard issues that are on the table. We’re working through them."
Blinken continued, "I don’t want to put a percentage number on it, but I can say this: I think we’re invested in really testing this out. I believe the Saudis and the Israelis are as well. But we still have to grapple with a lot of hard practical issues. And whether we can get there and when we can get there, that we don’t know."
The Secretary's comments come as negotiations around the normalization continue to take center stage in Israeli politics.
Just this week, Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz became the first Israeli minister to travel to Saudi Arabia for official purposes.
In an exclusive interview with i24NEWS on Wednesday evening, Katz spoke to the channel from Riyadh to discuss the warming relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia .
He shared insights into the burgeoning relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia, describing the atmosphere in Saudi Arabia as "very warm" and reminiscent of "walking around Tel Aviv."
"My feeling is that an affair has begun, but it will take time until it crystallizes into a relationship," Minister Katz stated during the interview. "If there is a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia, it will be a warm peace."