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Former U.S. Middle East Envoy Jason Greenblatt Upbeat on Saudi Deal

(Israel Hayom) Ariel Kahana - Jason Greenblatt, who served as President Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, lived and breathed the historic shift in the region for almost three years. He has kept in touch with senior figures in the Saudi kingdom and has a good feel for their thinking. He notes that Saudi Arabia is undergoing an "unbelievable transformation" as part of an overall effort to sideline the radicals. "They have to put Saudi Arabia before anything else. So, by no means will they abandon the Palestinians. But I think they also realized that they can help the Palestinians while taking care of their own country first." "Is all of Saudi Arabia ready to have a million Israelis [visiting] the way the UAE has? I don't know if they're ready today....There are decades of a certain type of education that was given to the Saudis, about Israel, and about others - including Jews - that there's a transformation period that needs to happen....But I would say that over time - and not a particularly long period of time - I think it will work." "By all accounts, President Biden is serious and dedicated to doing this [normalization]....The one error I think President Biden is making is constantly bringing the Palestinian issue into the equation. It'll be enough for the Saudis to press the Israelis as to what they want to do with the Palestinians. It's the right of the Saudis to do that. I don't think the United States needs to put their finger on the scale when it comes to the Palestinians." If he makes demands to "go beyond what the Saudis want, or the Saudis need, I think he's jeopardizing the deal."
2023-10-05 00:00:00
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