MK Danny Danon, the chairman of World Likud and a former Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, responded on Tuesday to a news report by Channel 12, stating that the Biden administration has requested the Israeli government to abandon its plans for judicial reform in exchange for normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.
Danon stated, “While we hold respect for our friends in the United States, it is our prerogative to determine Israel’s policies. Normalizing ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia is of regional importance, but we should not progress our relations under the pressure of an ultimatum.”
According to Tuesday’s report, the Saudis are insisting on the resumption of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority as a prerequisite for normalizing relations with Israel. It was the US that raised the issue of judicial reform as a condition for facilitating the normalization talks.
There have been long-standing rumors of clandestine connections between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but the Saudis have consistently denied these claims.
Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has expressed his clear objective of reaching a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia that would effectively resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict.
However, Saudi officials have repeatedly emphasized that the establishment of a Palestinian state with eastern Jerusalem as its capital is a fundamental requirement for Saudi Arabia to normalize its relations with Israel.
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen expressed optimism in a recent interview with Channel 12, stating that he hopes the normalization agreement will be signed within the next six months to a year. He also mentioned that the approval of direct flights to Saudi Arabia is a crucial prerequisite for this development.
A day later, reports surfaced indicating that Israel has approached airlines in Jordan, Bahrain, and other regional countries, requesting their cooperation in operating direct flights to Saudi Arabia from either Ben Gurion Airport or Ramon Airport in southern Israel.
The report suggests that the Saudis are inclined to support this move, which would be exclusively available for Muslims residing in Israel who desire to participate in the pilgrimage to Mecca.
hallo, where is the outcry of the democratic world???
not that I care, but for charedim to protect or holy sites and our holy values is mamash not democratic, but
for flights to Mecca to be only for Muslims (and under sharia law obviously) is absolutely OK.
When the US reigns in WOKE and all its stupid idiotic judicial BROKEN system then they could open their mouths. The U. S.’s double standard is so openly blatant – start with the moron of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave and his ilk. Who the he_ _ is this imbecile anti semite to dictate. MK Dannon: good for you! And Saudi Arabia should not be the one to dictate miscarriage of freedom/justice. Haven’t they executed some for not keeping the strict shariah law for women?
Susan Rice and Antony Blinken can go jump in the lake.