In the video: Netanyahu: "My most important task is to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons" (Photo: Roni Kanfo)
A senior Israeli official said today (Friday) in a briefing for reporters accompanying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his visit to Rome that the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran is the result of a Saudi feeling that the United States and the previous government in Israel showed weakness towards Iran.
According to him, the contacts between Iran and Saudi Arabia began in 2021 during the tenure of the previous government in Israel and when the United States wanted a new nuclear agreement with Iran.
Therefore, he added, the Saudis also turned to China as a counterweight to the United States.
"There was a feeling of American and Israeli weakness, so Saudi Arabia turned to other channels," said the Israeli official.
"It was clear where they were going. They should ask (members of the previous government in Israel) why it started with them and why it progressed with them."
The Israeli official said that the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran will not harm efforts to promote normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
"What happens on the diplomatic level is not what happens under the surface," he said.
According to him, the stronger the Western and Israeli position against Iran will be, and it will be clear that there is a credible military threat to Iran - the more Saudi's practical policy will be to get closer to Israel.
"The positions of Israel and the United States are more decisive over time than the agreement of Saudi Arabia with Iran," said the Israeli official.
"Now the position in the West is starting to change, but it hasn't changed enough."
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Iran
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Saudi Arabia