Israel’s shelling of Gaza apparently caused the Kingdom to suspend the normalisation process arranged by the US.
In light of Israel’s ongoing conflict with Palestinian militant group Hamas, Saudi Arabia has put on hold attempts to normalise relations with that country, according to Reuters on Friday. The agreement, if supported by the US, would have been a diplomatic victory for Washington and a tactical setback for Iran.
Prior to Hamas’ unexpected attack on Israel on Saturday, Saudi Arabia and Israel were close to agreeing to a deal in which the Sunni kingdom would have recognised the Jewish state in exchange for a defence pact with the US and more modern American weapons. However, the White House stressed that the specific terms of the agreement had not yet been worked out.
Saudi rulers halted the agreement to prevent inciting a wave of resentment throughout the Muslim world as Israeli aeroplanes have been relentlessly pounding Gaza since Saturday and an invasion of the Palestinian territory is apparently looming, according to Reuters, which cited two sources close to Riyadh.
The sources emphasised that although the accord has not been irrevocably abandoned, Riyadh will probably demand that any subsequent agreement contain considerable concessions from Israel to the Palestinians.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have resulted in the deaths of nearly 2,000 Palestinians, including 583 children, according to the most recent data from the Palestinian Health Ministry. Since Saturday, more least 1,300 Israelis have perished, and more than 100 are thought to be held captive in Gaza by Hamas.
READ ALSO: Saudi Arabia affirms its ‘unwavering’ support for Palestine
Israel’s harsh response, which included enforcing a complete siege on Gaza, has strained relations with its Muslim neighbours. On Wednesday, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had their first phone call since the two geopolitical foes restored diplomatic ties in an agreement mediated by China in March.
Saudi state media reported that the prince pledged to use “all possible efforts…to stop the ongoing escalation,” while Iranian state media reported that the two discussed the “need to end war crimes against Palestine.”
The intended normalisation agreement, which would have brought Iran’s two main regional adversaries closer together and one of them into a formal partnership with the US, was fiercely opposed by Iran. The entire Arab world has also been cautioned by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, against normalising ties with the “Zionist regime” in Israel.
Khamenei described Israel as a “cancer” that will, “God willing, be eradicated by the hands of the Palestinian people and the resistance forces throughout the region,” less than a week before Hamas launched its offensive.
Reuters
