While some observers sounded the death knell for Israel-Saudi Arabia normalization immediately after Oct. 7, recent events prove fears of its demise are greatly exaggerated.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
One of the key objectives of the Hamas massacre that day was to trigger an Israeli response that would destroy all hopes for peace between the Jewish state and the most powerful Arab country, home to the most sacred sites in Islam.
The former enemies were making steady US-brokered steps toward official recognition in the months leading up to the Gaza war, much to the fury of regional agitator, and Hamas patron, Iran.
While the historic Abraham Accords saw agreements between the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Bahrain, and Morocco positively transform the region in previously unimaginable ways – peace with Saudi Arabia would spell a world-changing event.
An Israeli pact with the desert kingdom, custodian of Islam's holiest cities Mecca and Medina, could forge a path to broader regional peace, and with almost the entire Muslim world.
But now global attention is centered on the Gaza war with protestors in major cities cheerleading for Hamas, a mafia-like Jihadi group at odds with liberal democratic values that oppresses the Palestinians under its control. However, those who live in the neighborhood are no fans of the Iran-backed murderers and their ilk, who spread misery and havoc across the Middle East today. Many local people watch in shock as support for Hamas, Hezbollah, and other groups that brutalize their societies and devastate their countries, are proudly expressed at demonstrations around the world.
So, what's the good news?
Firstly, the positions detailed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about two weeks before the Hamas assault remain unchanged. The kingdom's de facto leader said normalized relations with Israel "are getting closer" every day while adding that the Palestinians are a "very important" issue to be resolved.
Months into the war, the process stays on track. Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan reiterated that stance this week saying Riyadh would recognize Israel in a wider deal that pursues Palestinian statehood.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken relayed the same message to Israeli leaders amid the flurry of US diplomacy efforts to regional players since the war erupted.
The idea of serious commitment to a pathway for Palestinian statehood is tough to digest while Israel fights Hamas in territory it evacuated. However, the principle is a mainstream objective for those wanting to preserve the Jewish and democratic character of Israel. This would require an amicable separation from the Palestinians under terms defined by past lessons learned.
Senator Lindsey Graham echoed those sentiments after meeting with Mideast leaders recently and told the Israeli press that since the Hamas assault, he is more determined than ever to pursue normalization efforts.
And then there are lesser-known advocates for positive change working hard for this vision to become a reality.
A closer look at photos published of the meeting between Graham and the Crown Prince shows that Jeffrey Talpins, Founder and CEO of Element Capital, and Oren Eisner, President of the Talpins Family Office and Foundation, were also present.
This is no coincidence.
Talpins and Eisner are the co-founders of the N7 Initiative that has been quietly advancing normalization in the Middle East for the past few years.
Morgan Ortagus, a spokesperson for the State Department under former President Trump who was also involved in normalization efforts, was present as well.
Many challenges lay ahead for those aspiring toward a peaceful Middle East: The upcoming election season could impact US considerations regarding its part of the deal with Saudi Arabia. Iran may deploy another proxy terror group to poison the atmosphere. Hamas and their global supporters will try to sabotage peace with violence and intimidation tactics. Whoever leads Israel in the near future will need to regain the nation's trust before making agreements demanding far-reaching territorial concessions.
But one detail is already clear: The Hamas goal of upending regional hopes for peace by starting this war has backfired dramatically.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
