Top Netanyahu Ally Predicts Saudi Deal Within Next Few Months

A top confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he thinks a landmark deal normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia will be agreed on within a few months.

“I personally believe we will get a normalization deal ultimately with Saudi Arabia،” Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer said in an interview on Friday with Annmarie Hordern and Joe Mathieu on Bloomberg Television. “Whether it’s by the end of the year or shortly thereafter، it is in the next few months I think that we can make this happen.”

Civilian nuclear program

Israel is “completely aligned” with the US on how to meet Saudi demands that Riyadh be allowed to enrich its own uranium for a civilian nuclear program while addressing non-proliferation concerns، Dermer said.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview with Fox News that Saudi Arabia is getting closer “every day” to a deal establishing diplomatic ties with Israel.

The US، Saudi Arabia and Israel are engaged in complex negotiations in which Washington would offer security guarantees to Riyadh، the Saudis would normalize relations with Israel and Israel would take actions aimed at preserving the possibility of a Palestinian state.

Saudi-Israel normalization remains “difficult،” with the process fraught over specifics، including the Palestinian issue، US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week.