Israeli PM Warns Saudi-Iranian Deal Could Come with 'Misery'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Saudi Arabia’s agreement with regional rival Iran to resume diplomatic relations is fraught with the risk of “misery.”

“Those who partner with Iran partner with misery. Look at Lebanon, look at Yemen, look at Syria, look at Iraq,” Netanyahu told US broadcaster CNBC on April 19, adding that “95 percent of the problems in the Middle East emanate from Iran.” 

The China-brokered March 10 agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran ended a seven-year rift between the two countries and dealt a blow to Netanyahu’s diplomatic efforts of pursuing Tehran’s political isolation. 

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has invited the Saudi king to visit Tehran, and the two countries are scheduled to reopen their embassies on May 9, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said this week.

Netanyahu told CNBC that the deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran “has probably a lot more to do with the desire to de-escalate or even eliminate the long-standing conflict in Yemen,” where Tehran and Riyadh back opposite sides.

“I think that Saudi Arabia, the leadership there, has no illusions about who are their adversaries, and who are their friends,” the prime minister added.

Israel and Saudi Arabia share security concerns over Iran’s nuclear progress and military funding activity across the Middle East. 

But the Saudi-Iranian deal sets back Israel’s quest to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia, which seeks a resolution to the statehood of Palestinian territories.

“We’d like very much to have peace with Saudi Arabia,” Netanyahu said. “Because I think it would be another huge quantum leap for peace. In many ways, it would end the Arab-Israeli conflict.”

The US-mediated 2020 Abraham Accords mediated by the administration of former US President Donald Trump re-established relations between Israel and Saudi allies Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Sudan and Morocco have also recognized Israel in the years since the accords.