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Source: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/farewell-abraham-accords-lee-smith
Prospects for Saudi-Israel Normalization
(Tablet) Lee Smith - A normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia, the guardian of Islam's two major holy sites, in Mecca and Medina, and a Jewish state despised by Muslims worldwide would be a historic achievement for everyone. The catch is that the Saudis won't budge unless the Israelis agree to a roadmap for a future Palestinian state. And while Israel seems enthusiastic about normalizing relations with the Saudis, it is unlikely to accommodate Riyadh on its big ask because the Israeli public is firmly against any further accommodations with an enclave run by terrorists who killed 1,200 people within Israel's borders just two years ago and continue to wantonly maim and kill Israelis wherever they are within reach. Trump has already had his big Middle East victory - a win much more significant and durable than a normalization agreement. Not only did he, in partnership with Netanyahu, eliminate the Iranian threat, but also he revived the U.S.-led regional order that is crucial to American peace and prosperity. Israel is America's regional enforcer, and a good destination for tech investors. The Saudis pump cheap oil to stabilize global energy markets, buy U.S. arms systems, and invest in U.S. industry. That's a regional order that works well for everyone - starting with the U.S.