Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “Israel seeks peace with Saudi Arabia to stop Iranian aggression” and that this will open up “economic opportunities for the Jewish state and the region as a whole.”
In a speech he gave before the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem, Netanyahu indicated that “the Arab world recognizes as a priority the end of the Iranian threat, which contributes to rapprochement with Israel,” noting that the move to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia “leads to historical change in Israel’s position. in the Middle East.”
He stated: “We are working on this goal in parallel to stop the Iranian threat, as these two goals are interconnected,” stressing that “if these goals are achieved, it will be a quantum leap.”
Regarding the horizon of economic cooperation after the “Israeli-Saudi peace”, Netanyahu said: “One of the economic possibilities is to link the Arabian Peninsula to the port of Haifa via a railway passing through Jordan”, explaining that the plan will be based on “the old Ottoman railway lines, parts of which were built” between Haifa and Beit Shun.
“In the same way, there could be an oil pipeline stretching from the Arabian Peninsula to our ports in the Mediterranean, which will save seven days of sea travel,” he added.
Regarding the political outcome of the normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations, Netanyahu said: “Israel will not be an isolated country in the eastern Mediterranean, surrounded by countries that are not allies, but rather a country that lives at peace in an effective geopolitical alliance with major Arab countries. countries in one of the most challenging regions in the world.” And this can finally end our conflict with the Palestinians.”
Source: Jerusalem Post.