U.S. senators call for normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia to counter Iran

Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, of the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively, are visiting Israel as part of a Middle East tour marking the first anniversary of the October 7 attack. They both called for an early agreement to normalize relations between Israelis and Saudis to counter Iran.

"The Iranians fear an Arab-Israel reconciliation more than any weapon ... because it is a permanent change," said Graham, who, along with Blumenthal, is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

It should be recalled that Israel normalized relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan in 2020, following the signing of the Abraham Accords.

"If by Christmas we do not have a normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, Iran will have a strategic victory," the Republican senator added. He stressed that the October 7 attack was carried out to prevent Jerusalem and Riyadh from reaching an agreement.

"We can get you a treaty through the Senate between the United States and Saudi Arabia, a defense agreement like you have in Japan and Australia, if you do it on President [Joe] Biden's watch," Graham explained.

The Republican senator further warned that "the next president will have a very difficult time getting 67 votes," referring to the two-thirds majority needed in the Senate to pass a defense deal.

A "historic" opportunity

Blumenthal argued that this is a "historic" opportunity.

The Democratic senator added that he hopes Israel's successes on the battlefield can be combined with diplomatic achievements.

"I hope that diplomacy may achieve a cessation of fighting, leading to the return of the hostages, and a push toward normalizing relations in the region, along with humanitarian aid and rebuilding," Blumenthal said.

The two-state solution "died on October 7"

The senators also said they would urge Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries to join forces to bring stability to the Palestinians even if the two-state solution, which Graham said "died on October 7," is not reached.

"The Israeli public will not accept a Palestinian state as a result of this barbaric terrorist attack, because it’s rewarding terrorism. But you are not going to have peace until you deal with the Palestinians. They aren’t going anywhere," the Republican senator said.

Graham also called on the Gulf countries to intervene to bring about a reform in Palestinian society to stop hating Jews. He also recalled that it took decades to deradicalize the Germans and Japanese after World War II, so it will surely take a long time to change the mentality of the Palestinians as well.