Representatives of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) have outlined the conditions under which they would consider agreeing to the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, according to sources within the Palestinian administration, as reported by the BBC.
The Palestinians reportedly held meetings with their Saudi counterparts in Riyadh, and members of the PNA delegation also engaged in discussions with US representatives, including Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara A. Leaf. During these talks, the PNA representatives conveyed that they would be open to the normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations if specific fundamental conditions were met.
The conditions set forth by the PNA for considering the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel include the following:
1. Transfer of territories in the West Bank currently under Israeli control (known as Area C) to the PNA.
2. Halt to the expansion of Israeli settlements throughout the West Bank.
3. Resumption of Saudi Arabia's financial support, which was suspended in 2019, at a rate of $200 million annually.
4. Reopening of the Jerusalem consulate for Palestinian citizens by the United States. This consulate was closed during the tenure of former President Donald Trump.
5. Facilitation of the resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian authorities, starting from the point at which they were suspended in 2014.
The US has viewed these demands from the Palestinian representatives as excessive. It's noteworthy that these conditions significantly differ from the official position of the PNA regarding normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations. At an official level, Palestinians have consistently maintained that such normalization cannot occur without the establishment of their own autonomous state.
On September 4, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed optimism that the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia could happen in the foreseeable future. He suggested that this development would create a robust link between the two countries spanning from Europe to Asia.
"Abraham Accords" and their ongoing expansion
In September 2020, Israel signed agreements in Washington, DC, brokered by the United States, to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. These groundbreaking agreements became known as the "Abraham Accords." Following these developments, Sudan and Morocco also announced their intention to normalize relations with Israel. Prior to the UAE and Bahrain agreements, Israel had formal diplomatic relations with only two Arab countries: Egypt and Jordan.
On December 29, 2022, a new government was inaugurated in Israel, with Benjamin Netanyahu at the helm. During the first cabinet meeting, Netanyahu declared that one of the primary goals of his government would be to significantly expand Israel's circle of peaceful relations with Arab states. In July, Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog, in an address to a joint session of the US Senate and House of Representatives, expressed Israel's willingness to engage in dialogue with all nations and expressed a particular interest in pursuing long-term normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia.
In August, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources within US government circles, that there was a broad agreement between Washington and Riyadh on the framework for normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. The reported terms of this agreement included Saudi Arabia formally recognizing the State of Israel, contingent on concessions made to the Palestinians. In return, Saudi Arabia would expect security guarantees from the United States and assistance in the realm of peaceful nuclear energy. According to the sources cited by the newspaper, the finer points of a potential agreement were expected to be worked out over the next 9–12 months.
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Photo: أمين/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS