Netanyahu’s Meeting with Bin Salman and Occupation’s Movement towards Normalization

Nov 29, 2020 10:47 am

 The Israeli media outlets reported a meeting joining the occupation’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last Sunday in Neom with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Yossi Cohen (Director of Mossad) and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan attending as well.

Although the occupation’s media and other high-profile Israeli figures said the meeting had happened, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia denied it. He said that the meeting included an American delegation only without anyone representing the occupation. Netanyahu neither confirmed nor denied it.

According to Israeli sources, the meeting lasted for about two hours addressing the Iranian nuclear threat, and normalization between the occupation and SA. The meeting took place after earlier statements by the Kingdom which expressed possible normalization with the occupation and response to the American ‘peace’ initiatives similar to what the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan had done.

Last Monday, the occupation announced an Israeli delegation heading to Khartoum to finalize normalization agreement with Sudan even though the Sudanese government denied knowing about the visit. It is expected that the meetings will take place inside the halls of the military institution under Chairman of the Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan’s supervision.

PM Netanyahu also stated having received an official invitation to visit Bahrain. He said he was determined to make the visit soon. Netanyahu’s statement came after Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani’s visit to the occupation’s entity a few days earlier. The occupation’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi also said he was going to visit Bahrain next December.

Analysis: Based on the above-mentioned, the following can be deduced:

  • The occupation is trying to exert more efforts to achieve normalization and include more active countries such as SA. It also tries to strengthen the normalization agreements with UAE, Bahrain and Sudan; and build stronger political, security and economic ties with them before Trump’s term ends.
  • The revealed leaks by the occupation are meant to psychologically prepare the Arab and Islamic communities for the possible involvement of SA in normalization.
  • Through the leaks, the occupation intended to send a message to the American administration with Biden as president expressing the Saudi-Israeli position against Iran and trying to influence Biden’s intention to reestablish agreements with it.

Possible Scenarios:

  • Israel and Saudi Arabia become closer the coming days leading to normalization agreements before Trump’s term ends. Such closeness would exercise pressure on Biden’s administration.
  • The Kingdom and occupation’s meetings and arrangements address the Iranian file only and coordinate based on mutual interests without signing full normalization in the coming future.
  • The efforts to achieve closeness between the SA and Israel collapse as Trump’s term ends, and the relations return to their former secretive state. Normalization with the occupation becomes more limited in the near future.

It is expected for the relations between the occupation and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to continue with caution, preparing the internal community of SA and the surrounding Arab and Islamic communities to accept such relations and move forward with them if a forgiving and supportive environment surrounds the Saudi step.

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