The Saudi Ambassador to the United States Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud stated that her kingdom envisions the Jewish state as part of a future “integrated Middle East,” in accordance with its large-scale socio-economic reform Vision 2030 project.
The Saudi envoy further noted her country prioritizes integration over normalization with Israel.
“We don’t say normalization, we talk about an integrated Middle East, unified [as] a bloc like Europe, where we all have sovereign rights and sovereign states, but we have a shared and common interest,” said Princess Reema during the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colorado.
“We want to see a thriving Israel. We want to see a thriving Palestine,” she added.
Princess Reema further explained why integration was preferable to mere normalization.
“So that’s not normalization. Normalization is you’re sitting there, and I’m sitting here, and we kind of coexist but separately. Integration means our people collaborate, our businesses collaborate, and our youth thrive.”
The Saudi ambassador condemned the current Israeli government’s policies regarding the Jewish settlements, including the expansion of thousands of new Jewish homes in the disputed West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria.
She also lamented the continued conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
“I think the conflict has gone [on] for so long, that these walls have been built psychologically and emotionally that are very hard to overcome,” said the Saudi princess.
Israel currently does not have an official normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, however, the two countries have developed covert ties in recent years and had previously viewed Iran as a shared threat.
Saudi Arabia also played a crucial role behind the scenes in realizing the historic Abraham Accords in 2020 between Israel and four Arab states. However, the Saudis have so far hinged any potential diplomatic ties with Israel upon its political status with the PA.
In May, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, claimed that the “Palestinian issue” was a top priority for the Arab world.
“The Palestinian issue was and remains the central issue for Arab countries, and it is at the top of the kingdom’s priorities,” MBS said.
Source : All Arab
