Saudi Crown Prince: Israelis Also Have the Right to Their Land

Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, stated on April 2nd during a meeting with The Atlantic magazine that both the people of Israel and the Palestinians have the right to live peacefully in their lands. He mentioned that peace in the Middle East brings shared interests for Israel and Arab countries. The Crown Prince's recent remarks are seen as another sign of the rapprochement between Riyadh and Israel, particularly concerning their shared concerns about the Islamic Republic of Iran. During his visit to The Atlantic's editorial board, he responded to a question regarding 'the Jews' right to govern at least part of their ancestral land' by saying, 'I believe that both Palestinians and Israelis have the right to their land. However, we must reach a peace agreement to ensure stability for all parties and to normalize relations.' The Crown Prince also expressed concerns about religious issues regarding their holy mosque in Jerusalem and the rights of Palestinians, stating, 'These are our issues; we have no problem with other people.' Saudi Arabia has yet to recognize Israel's existence. However, in 2002, Riyadh proposed a plan called the 'Arab Peace Initiative,' which stated that if Israel returned to the 1967 borders, a Palestinian state would be established in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and a solution for refugee issues would be found, all of Riyadh's allies would recognize Israel's existence. Neither this plan nor other proposals have yet come to fruition. In another part of his remarks, Mohammed bin Salman stated, 'There are many shared interests between us and Israel. If we achieve peace, there will be significant benefits for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Israel.' In recent months, especially with the increasing power and influence of Mohammed bin Salman, signs of a new approach from Riyadh towards Israel have emerged. This is particularly relevant as the leadership in Saudi Arabia and the Israeli government have repeatedly expressed concerns about Iran's growing influence in the region and what they call Tehran's 'destabilizing actions.' Iran has denied these accusations. Reuters also noted that Mohammed bin Salman's recent statements are another clear indication that the two sides are moving closer together. The Crown Prince's remarks came just days after Gadi Eisenkot, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, confirmed that Meir Ben Shabbat, Israel's National Security Advisor, had met with Mohammed bin Salman. This senior Israeli military commander stated without providing details that there is 'alignment' between the interests of Israel and Saudi Arabia regarding Iran. However, Eisenkot also spoke about Israel's concerns regarding Saudi Arabia's intentions to acquire a nuclear program.