Cohen: Saudi Arabia and Israel are capable of making history, and the Palestinian cause will not hinder normalization between them

 

     Cohen said he sees a historic opportunity for peace that will change the face of the entire world, not just the Middle East. Specifically, he talked about an opportunity to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia that would benefit both countries, in addition to the mediator, the United States.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that the Palestinian issue will not be an obstacle to the peace process, which is proven by the Abraham Accords. And the Israeli minister, in an interview with the electronic newspaper Elaph - owned by Saudi businessman Othman Al-Omair and based in London - expressed his optimism about the possibility of peace in the Middle East between Muslims and Jews, as he put it.

Cohen said he sees a historic opportunity for peace that will change the face of the entire world, not just the Middle East. Specifically, he talked about an opportunity to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia that would benefit both countries, in addition to the mediator, the United States.

According to Cohen, US President Joe Biden will achieve an achievement before the presidential elections, which will reflect positively on the US and global economy as a result. Saudi Arabia will also enhance its security and economy with this achievement, which will open the horizons of beneficial technological cooperation, in addition to Israel achieving great benefits in terms of stability, which will give it a major economic boost.

When asked about Israel's willingness to implement Saudi conditions to make progress on the Palestinian issue, and the possibility of that under the far-right government and the Likud party, Cohen said that four out of five peace agreements signed by Israel were made by the "Likud", of which three were achieved by Netanyahu's governments. He added that improving the living conditions of Palestinians in the Palestinian territories is a common interest for all. However, he drew attention to what he believed to be the most important in Saudi Arabia's calculations, which is the Iranian threats and how to stand up to them. Therefore - according to him - there is a Saudi-Israeli-American interest not to give Iran a foothold in the Palestinian territories.

Cohen welcomed any possibility of a visit by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and said that hosting him in Israel would be like a holiday if it happened, and he would be happy if that happened.

Regarding criticism of Israel, even from friendly countries in the Islamic world such as the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Jordan, because its ministers enter into the Noble Sanctuary, Cohen said that Israel maintains the status quo in Jerusalem and the "Temple Mount", and that there is freedom of worship for the three religions and that this is the situation. in existence since the establishment of the state and during the Likud's rule, and this will be the case in the future as well. He stressed that the ascent of ministers to the "Temple Mount" is not a transgression of the status quo, as it happened in the past as well, so this is not considered a change in government policy.

Cohen spoke about several political and commercial achievements that Israel has achieved with countries in the Arab and Islamic world, such as sending a mission to Turkey to improve relations, signing a trade agreement with the UAE, opening the first Azerbaijani embassy in Israel, opening a Chadian embassy in Israel, and opening an Israeli embassy in Turkmenistan, He also visited Sudan and laid the foundations for a peace agreement with Khartoum.

After his interview with the newspaper - in which he touched on other topics such as the internal situation in Israel and judicial reforms, the tension with Hezbollah on the Lebanese borders, and relations with Russia and Africa - Cohen stressed that Israel and Saudi Arabia can turn the Middle East into the "most attractive place in the world" and that The two leaderships can make peace between the Islamic nation and the Jewish people.

Cohen added that seeing Muslims from Israel traveling on direct pilgrimage trips to Mecca would make him happy, just as he was pleased to host Muslims from Saudi Arabia and the Arab world in Israel.