Netanyahu: We have a few months before an agreement with Saudi Arabia. Thousands of people are protesting at Thunberg in Stockholm

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees a few months’ opportunity in efforts to reach an agreement with Saudi Arabia under American mediation. “If we don’t achieve this in the coming months, we could delay it for a few years,” Netanyahu told US broadcaster Fox News on Friday evening (local time). The Israeli head of government expressed optimism about the possibility of an agreement with Riyadh. “I think we are getting closer to peace every day.” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had previously made similar comments on Fox News.

According to media reports, Saudi Arabia would recognize Israel as part of an agreement and in return receive US security guarantees and help in setting up a civilian nuclear program. To achieve this, Israel would have to make extensive concessions to the Palestinians.

Netanyahu said Palestinians should be part of the process but not have veto power over it. He declined to comment on details of possible concessions to the Palestinians. He accused Palestinian leaders of not really pursuing a peaceful solution since the peace treaties with Israel were signed in 1993. “They don’t want a state next to Israel, they want a state instead of Israel,” Netanyahu said.

US President Joe Biden told him in an interview that he wanted to keep open the political option of two states in the Middle East. When asked how he plans to force possible concessions within his right-wing, religious government, he said: “I will do whatever is necessary to promote peace, which also serves Israel’s security interests in the long term.” The coalition is not the problem. “The issue is what I think are the important questions for Israel’s future.” He is convinced “that if we have a historic agreement that changes the Middle East – by the way, I think it changes the world – I think everyone will join in.”

An agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia will also “change the relationship between Judaism and Islam” and impact Muslims worldwide, Netanyahu said. A rapprochement deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia could create a geographic corridor between Asia and Europe and would represent an “amazing transformation,” Netanyahu said. He described the Saudi crown prince as “quite a visionary.”

Officially, Riyadh has no relations with Israel, but the two countries have long secretly cooperated on security issues. The US is Israel’s protective power and also an important ally for Saudi Arabia.

(yam/sda/dpa)