Iran, Saudia Arabia foreign ministers meet in China
Israel's efforts to forge diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia have slowed recently the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week, quoting Saudi and Israeli officials.
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The change was prompted by increased tensions with Palestinians, Israel's policies on the West Bank, IDF raids to apprehend terror suspects, and statements made by Israeli officials, including ministers, which have drawn international condemnation.
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Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian
(Photo: AFP)
Israelis had voiced optimism earlier in the year, assessing that an agreement with the Gulf nation was mere months away, with U.S. mediation. They cited concerns over Iran as a reason for such a diplomatic shift, but now one source said, "circumstances have had a chilling effect."
Officials both in Israel and the Gulf explained that as altercations with Palestinians increased and the right-wing and religious coalition government pushed for more settlement construction, Saudi Arabia became less eager to advance ties.
They added that quiet cooperation on security matters, intelligence and business continues, but the efforts to expand Israeli-Saudi relations as well as ties with other Sunni states, have slowed considerably.
A tell tail sign of Saudi's discontent over Israel's policies was the slew of official condemnations of Israel since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power last December. Since then 12 such condemnations were made over matters ranging from West Bank settlements to statements of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who said the Palestinian town of Huwara should be wiped off the map. There were only two official condemnations made in Riyadh in 2022.
Netanyahu considered expanding peace agreements to more countries as a central aim of his government, which could bolster Israel's response to Iran's military ambitions and reduce international support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State.
Upon resuming his position as prime minister, Netanyahu said forging diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia was at the top of his priorities.
"I want to go big and we can do that with Saudi Arabia he said. But sometimes a long road requires small steps, and that is not a problem, he said. "Things are already underway," he said.
The WSJ reported last month, that the Saudis demanded security guarantees from Washington as well as assistance in developing a civilian nuclear program including uranium enrichment.
Riyadh expressed concern about a deal with Israel, that would come under fire in the Arab world and exacerbate tensions with Iran, the paper said.
One day after the report was published, Iran and Saudi Arabia announced they were resuming diplomatic relations severed in 2016 and would reopen embassies in Tehran and Riyadh.