Saudi kingdom has plan to establish ties with Israel, Jubeir says

Amid widespread reports of behind-the-scenes cooperation between Riyadh and Tel Aviv, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir says the kingdom has a “roadmap” to establish full diplomatic ties with the Tel Aviv regime.

Speaking to France 24 television late on Wednesday, Jubeir said Riyadh has a plan for normalization with Tel Aviv if an agreement is reached between Palestine and the Israeli entity.

The top Saudi diplomat further denied that reports that the kingdom had any relations with Tel Aviv, despite their mutual concerns over Iran’s growing regional influence.

In mid-November, Lebanon’s al-Akhbar daily published a secret undated letter from Jubeir to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that puts forward a plan to normalize ties with Israel.

According to the report, Riyadh and Tel Aviv would first try to work out a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which would significantly sideline the interests of the Palestinian nation.

After getting rid of the Palestine issue, the two regimes could then focus on their common goal, which is forming an alliance against Iran, according to the report.

Chief of Staff of Israeli military, Lieutenant General Gadi Eizenkot, said in an interview last month that Tel Aviv was ready to share intelligence with Saudi Arabia in their joint efforts to confront Iran.

In a new gesture to extend the hand of friendship to Saudi Arabia, Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz on Wednesday invited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit Tel Aviv.

Elsewhere in the interview, the Saudi foreign minister claimed that the administration of US President Donald Trump was serious about getting a peace deal between Palestinians and Israelis. 

“We believe the Trump administration is serious about bringing peace between Israelis and Arabs,” Jubeir said.

This is while reports suggest that Mohammed bin Salman has recently presented an American plan for Middle East peace to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on behalf of Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law in charge of the Middle East.

Jubeir’s comments on Washington’s role in the so-called peace process come as the Trump administration has been under international scrutiny for declaring on December 6 that the US was recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s “capital.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Trump’s declaration was “tantamount to the United States abdicating its role as a peace mediator.”