ARAB AND WORLD

Tue 16 Apr 2024 7:20 pm - Jerusalem Time

Gantz: We must carry out a strategic coup in the region and seek normalization with Saudi Arabia

The Minister of the War Council and head of the National Unity Party in Israel, Benny Gantz, confirmed today, Tuesday, that Tel Aviv must “seek normalization with Saudi Arabia and strengthen the coalition of moderates in the region.”


Minister Benny Gantz said in his speech during the “Tomorrow Conference” to “Israel Hayom”: “Israel has demonstrated tremendous strength in the past six months... A small country, surrounded by enemies, and which has gone through the greatest disaster in its history, stands firm against a multi-faceted attack... But all this strength will not be enough if we do not plan for tomorrow."


He continued: "The future in Gaza must be a future in which Hamas does not control the Strip, and a future in which Israel maintains and exercises freedom of action. Ultimately, if we do not deal with terrorism, no one else will do so, and civil administration must be exercised through an entity." A Palestinian is not part of Hamas.”


Gantz continued: “There are no shortcuts.. This is a difficult, long and vital campaign.. The fighting is being carried out excellently by the IDF fighters and its leaders, which is very important and is a basic and necessary condition, but it alone is not enough, and in order to secure tomorrow, we must We must carry out a strategic coup in the region, and there must be political movement. We must seek normalization with Saudi Arabia and strengthen the alliance of moderates in the region, creating a unified front against the radical axis whose features we saw this week. This is more important than any practical movement, because every movement is carried out. “Doing them must lead to something, and they cannot be hung by the sword, no matter how important they are.”


At the beginning of this April, an American official confirmed that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was going to travel to Saudi Arabia to continue discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the normalization agreement between Israel and the Kingdom.


An American official told CNN that "the potential deal, which some see as having difficult challenges, will include many elements, including a US military agreement with Saudi Arabia that would support the Kingdom's development of a civilian nuclear program."


This is while the American official explained that “the details of this part of the deal, in addition to many other aspects, are still being prepared.”


Axios also reported that Sullivan would visit Saudi Arabia and discuss with Prince Mohammed bin Salman a “huge deal” that includes normalization with Israel and a defense treaty.


While US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby later announced that Jake Sullivan had postponed his scheduled trip to Saudi Arabia. Kirby explained that Sullivan postponed his visit to Saudi Arabia because he was "recovering from a broken rib."


It is worth noting that Saudi Arabia previously confirmed that it would have no relations with Israel before stopping its aggression, withdrawing from Gaza, and recognizing the Palestinian state.

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Gantz: We must carry out a strategic coup in the region and seek normalization with Saudi Arabia