U.S. Ambassador to Israel: Saudi normalization is still possible
U.S. Ambassador to Israel: Saudi normalization is still possible
The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, spoke at Calcalist and Bank Leumi’s National Economic Conference about Israel’s ongoing ceasefire and hostage deal negotiations with Hamas, the possibility of normalization with Saudi Arabia and attitudes towards Israel in the business world
Ambassador Jack Lew
(Credit: Yariv Katz, Sinai David))
“The negotiations over a hostage release and a ceasefire remain at the very core of what we think has to be achieved. It's our highest priority and something that we will continue to press forward on,” said U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew in conversation with Calcalist’s Sophie Shulman at Calcalist and Bank Leumi’s National Economic Conference.
"To me, the urgency begins with the human lives that are at stake. There’s not an infinite amount of time. Time is not a friend to the process's side, so we can’t let up in any way," he said, adding that a ceasefire in Gaza is also crucial for preventing a further escalation in the North with Hezbollah. "If there is going to be a diplomatic breakthrough in the North, having a period of quiet related to a ceasefire and a hostage release, is crucial.”
“I can't sit here today and tell you that it is a day or two away. There are tough discussions, the negotiations must continue, and flexibility will be required from all sides, while basic principles need to be maintained."
On the topic of whether normalization with Saudi Arabia is still achievable, the ambassador said, “The path ahead is challenging, it’s going to require hard decisions about how to deal with the challenge of Palestinian self-governance. It’s not something that can be resolved if that issue is just put to the side. On the other hand, it has to be resolved in a way that protects Israel’s security,” he said.
“I think there is a way to get the negotiations with Saudi Arabia completed. Would it have been better if it could have been completed earlier? Of course. But that doesn’t mean that the pathway doesn’t remain open."
Ambassador Lew emphasized that the need for Israeli-Saudi normalization has only grown since October 7. "If we needed to be shown what the value of strategic cooperation is in the region, we saw it on April 14th (Iran’s missile strike against Israel) played out in real life in real time.”
You can watch the entire video above.
