(Ynet News) Col. Richard Kemp - Normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia is inevitable. It is already well underway and has been for some years. Many commentators believe that official diplomatic recognition might founder on the Palestinian issue, with the Saudis demanding compromises that Israel cannot meet. That is not so. The 2020 Abraham Accords were established without any Israeli concessions to the Palestinians, and with complete Saudi backing behind the scenes. If the Saudis genuinely felt that normalization was dependent on substantive Israeli concessions to the Palestinians, they would not continue to pursue negotiations towards an unachievable goal. While the Kingdom is obliged to show public support for its Palestinian brothers, in reality, it will probably settle for Israeli gestures such as statements of intent, while restoring significant Saudi funding to the Palestinian Authority. The PA leadership know they can do nothing to prevent normalization if Riyadh decides on it and might as well cash in. The writer, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, was chairman of the UK's national crisis management committee, COBRA.
2023-10-02 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive