Israeli-Saudi normalization will only happen through the “peace for peace” formula and not by establishing a Palestinian “terror state,” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reiterated on Monday. “We think normalization is a good thing and in our mutual interest, both for us and for the Saudis—mainly the Saudis,” Smotrich told JNS during the weekly faction meeting of his Religious Zionism Party in Jerusalem.
According to the minister, “the Middle East is divided into the Iranian axis of evil and its proxies, and the moderate axis that sides with the West, with the U.S., and promises liberty, freedom and security.” “There’s huge development potential for the entire Middle East here. If we subdue evil and wickedness—which we have been doing for a year and a half and will continue to do, we need to—we’ll build completely different alliances here based on real peace and values,” he said.
However, Jerusalem “thinks it isn’t right for the Saudis to have nuclear capabilities,” Smotrich said in reference to reports that the U.S. is seeking to help Riyadh developing its own civil nuclear program. Israel will also not “think even for a second” about giving in to the Saudi demands for a pathway to a Palestinian state, the finance minister emphasized, telling JNS: “That will never happen, no way.” (Read More)
