The minimum you must know
Saudi Arabia and Israel were on the verge of an extraordinary peace agreement that has been delayed because of recent events inside Israel. This writer hopes the peace process will quickly be restarted, and that the governments are going to become great friends by significantly improving relations between the populations. There’s every reason for Jewish - Muslim peace. And there’s phenomenal leadership for peace. Everyone involved deserves tremendous credit for their courage for peace.
Saudi Arabia wanted a Palestinian state to become formed as part of the normalization in Saudi-Israeli relations. This should be easily achieved when calm returns to the holy land - because Israel is planning to build a new city in Gaza that may be put under Saudi Arabian and Egyptian control, which is acceptable to all sides. The Israeli and Palestinian governments both want a Palestinian state to form because a “two-state solution” to peace preserves both governments in their present form. But there are a minority in each government that would prefer a single state solution. (Hamas and Fatah have been alternating Palestinian governments at peace with each other. Presumably the needs of both have to be taken into account by everyone involved.)
His Highness
The Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Traditionally the two state solution make is in the interest of both governments. A one state solution might produce a voting demographic unsupportive of any of the existing governments. So the Israeli and Palestinian governments have a shared interest in forming borders that preserve their demographics. (No government seeks to add an unsupportive group.) Obviously there’s going to be some negotiation, such as over well integrated areas. But probably the governments can reach agreement over large areas of land as well.
In places with integrated populations, the Israeli and Palestinian governments have an even more profound shared interest in declaring peace with one another. Integrated populations follow examples set by their government institutions and heads of state. They work well together when governments are publicly lat peace with each other, but hold each other back when they aren’t. So simply declaring “peace” and setting a peaceful and even generous example may lead entire integrated populations to behave far better towards one another, so that the entire group can advance much faster. There is every reason for Saudi Arabia’s leadership on peace to become very successful for Israel and Palestine.
That’s why Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan led a distinguished Saudi delegation to an urgent meeting of the Arab League (of countries) that was convened at the request of Palestine. There the undersecretary called for an immediate resumption of the peace process. The Arab League said they seek to provide international protection for the Palestinian people, and achieve peace and security based on international law, international legitimacy resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative.
There is bipartisan U.S. political support for peace - once calm returns to the region. Both Presidents Biden and Trump have spoken out publicly for peace. Florida’s Governor Ron Desantis said very bluntly, “I don’t think it’s our war…..” (He similarly wrote about Ukraine that he fully supports peace with Russia. “While the U.S. has many vital national interests,” he said, “becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them.”) Most leading democrats amd republicans agree with him. And democrats such as Congresswoman Ilhan Omar have given impassioned speeches for peace between Israel and Palestine. President Biden even patterned peace in the following remarks.
President of the
United States of America
Joe Biden
October 20, 2023
Saudi Arabia is a very close alliance for the United States with a benevolent kingdom that has done a tremendous amount for their own people. The government is loved by many in Saudi Arabia for providing for their citizens, and for encouraging the population to advance with respect to women’s and minority rights. They have a very polite society reflected in their stellar rhetoric and very successful diplomacy with other countries. Saudi Arabia has done more to peace with other countries in the region than almost any other globally. Although even the most exemplary rhetoric and diplomacy can’t solve every security challenge in the region, the Saudi Arabian government clearly cares deeply about peace, and is achieving much deserved significantly improving relations with all other governments.
President of the
United States of America
Joe Biden
Saudi Arabia is historically a security and economic competitor of Iran. But that past certainly isn’t becoming the future. The Saudi and Iranian governments are at peace with one another, and growing even closer, which is an opportunity for countries that align themselves with Saudi Arabia and Iran as well. The Saudi Arabian and Iranian governments have made phenomenal progress on peace with each other after Russia hosted their leadership in Moscow and successfully encouraged the countries to put aside their differences and become friends. This followed several years of peaceful rhetorical outreach from Iran to Saudi Arabia, and more recently from Saudi Arabia to Iran. The United States and Europe eagerly support peace and improving relations between these countries.
The Saudi Arabia & Iranian populations are obviously comfortable with each other, and therefore support peace between their governments. They peacefully pray together every year at the Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia that can attract tens of thousands of Muslims. The populations enjoy the holiday even though slightly varying views on Islam exist in the two countries. Islam is a religion named for peace. So religious citizens and tourists clearly want peace between these and all other countries. There is therefore every reason for the populations and governments of Saudi Arabia and Iran to get along even better with one another. That appears to be what's taking place. Countries in the region that align themselves with Saudi Arabia and Iran indicate in exemplary rhetoric that they love peace and support improving relations for all countries in the region.
Although the Saudi Arabian and Iranian governments have some competing economic interests, they don’t come close to the much more profound benefits of peace. The Saudi and Iranian governments understand that their improving relations won’t solve every security challenge in the region. People in other countries (especially in Iraq and Yemen) have to do their part for peace. But the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Iran can increasingly join together to encourage tranquility and calm. They can even use their considerable understanding of the region and influence to protect one another. Perhaps they’re ready to achieve an open trading and cooperative security relationship. The United States and Israel are genuine and great supporters of the Saudi Arabian government, including in peace. There is therefore tremendous support for Saudi Arabia’s improving relations with Iran. (Both countries might join with others in signing the Abraham Declarations for Israel and Palestine.)
Saudi Arabia is also reportedly significantly improving relations with Syria. The Saudi and Syrian governments recognized each other’s legitimacy and normalized relations. The leadership even gets together in person at summits.
That’s an extraordinary development after two decades of desire for peace. There has only been great diplomacy and increasingly peaceful rhetoric between the countries. That represents very simply heroic courage for peace. There's growing optimism that all of the leaders in the region are now supporting each other and evolving into great friends.
