Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Israel and Saudi Arabia are ready to normalize relations, but must stick to their commitment to ending the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and a path to a Palestinian state. said.
Blinken, speaking at the Atlantic Council, said talks on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could take place in the coming hours or days, a plan laid out by the Biden administration to take advantage of key balances of power. He said this would be an important first step. Changes in the Middle East.
“As we stand here today, a historic window of opportunity remains open,” Blinken said.
While the Trump administration failed in its first term to secure Israel-Saudi relations under the banner of the Abraham Accords, it did establish ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and strengthen Israel's integration into the region. brought about a big change.
The Biden administration said it was on the brink of building a relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia based on the Abraham Accords, but was frozen by the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack and Israel's subsequent war against Hamas.
opposition to the Palestiniansstateincreased among Israeli citizensEven at the cost of normalizing Saudi Arabia, they are traumatized by Hamas attacks. And the death toll and humanitarian crisis caused to Palestinians during the Israeli wars further hardened the attitude of Arab and Gulf states that a Palestinian state was necessary.
“For Riyadh, the need to end the war in Gaza and build a credible path to a Palestinian state has become even more urgent,” Blinken said.
“Israelis are concerned about whether they will actually realize their fundamental dream of integration into the region, and whether it will also lead to the decisions needed to finally resolve relations with the Palestinians and end the Gaza conflict. “You'll have to decide whether it's worth it or not,” he said. That is a decision only they can make. ”
Blinken said the Biden administration is handing over to President-elect Trump a detailed post-Gaza plan that includes a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, preventing Hamas's re-entry, and providing governance, security and reconstruction for Gaza. Ta.
The plan calls for a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) to work with international partners to establish and help run an interim government with responsibility for banking, water, energy, health and civil coordination with Israel. Blinken said the international community would provide funding, technical assistance and monitoring.
The transitional government will include representatives of Palestinians in Gaza and the PA, but will “devolve all responsibilities to a fully reformed PA as soon as practicable.”
He continued that senior United Nations officials will work closely with executive authorities while overseeing international stabilization and recovery efforts. The interim security mission will be comprised of members of “partner national security forces” and vetted Palestinian personnel.
“We will launch a new initiative to train, equip and vet PA-led security forces for Gaza to focus on and gradually take over the transitional security mission. It will be enshrined in a United Nations Security Council resolution,” Blinken said.
He said partner countries have committed to joining the transitional security force, “but as part of the path to an independent Palestinian state, Gaza and the West Bank will be reunited under a reformed PA. Only if this is agreed upon.” ”
“Therein lies the problem,” Blinken continued. “Achieving an agreement will require all parties to muster the political will to make difficult decisions and make tough compromises.”
Blinken said the Biden administration has entered into an agreement with Saudi Arabia on the U.S.-Saudi elements of normalization with Israel, including establishing Saudi Arabia as a treaty ally of the United States. Defense Cooperation Agreement. An energy agreement that includes civil nuclear cooperation, and an economic agreement that enhances bilateral trade and investment between the two sides.
“The prospect of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia represents the best opportunity to achieve the long-sought goal of Israel’s further integration in the region, and to fully realize the aspirations of both countries. “It is also the best incentive for the parties to make the tough decisions needed to advance the Israeli and Palestinian agenda,” Blinken said.
