Lone ranger: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu presenting his version of the new Middle East at the recent United Nations General Assembly in New York. — Photos: ©2024 The New York Times Company
A YEAR ago, Saudi Arabia was preparing to recognise Israel in a normalisation deal that would have fundamentally reshaped the Middle East and further isolated Iran and its allies while barely lifting a finger to advance Palestinian statehood.
Now, that deal is further away than ever, even after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, which has been widely seized upon as a potential opening for a peace deal. Instead, Saudi Arabia is warming relations with its traditional archenemy, Iran, while insisting that any diplomatic pact now hinges on Israel’s acceptance of a Palestinian state, a remarkable turnaround for the kingdom.
