Eli Cohen, the foreign minister of Israel, said that rapprochement with Saudi Arabia was “within grasp” and that it was “only a matter of time” before a deal was struck in an interview with Ynet on Thursday.
Cohen claimed that both the US and Israel would benefit from such an agreement. Before the 2024 presidential elections, “the Biden administration wants a political victory,” Cohen claimed.
“The Americans are also concerned about the economy, and a deal between the US and Saudi Arabia would result in lower energy prices. According to him, the Saudis are seeking a line of defense against Iran and would like commercial and tourism arrangements like the UAE has with Israel.
“Since the interests of the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are converging at this time, I believe the press reports that a deal will be reached in the next nine to twelve months.
The exact period before the elections consume America is at hand, according to Cohen. Cohen asked the Biden administration to take the “South Korea model” into consideration for the Middle East as a means of containing Iran’s nuclear ambitions in the region in an editorial published in the Wall Street Journal earlier this week.
The minister stated in his letter that “the threat of a nuclear Iran has evolved beyond mere speculation.” If Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons, he said, “it could spark a regional arms race, forcing countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey to fortify their positions and upend regional stability.”
Cohen called for “a collective front, coupled with global endeavors to restrict Iran’s nuclear progress, as a strategy to cultivate Middle East peace and normalization.
He emphasized the potential of American defense commitments to stabilize the Middle East and potentially eliminate the nuclear ambitions of countries like Saudi Arabia.
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