Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said the “Palestinian issue” will “not be an obstacle” to peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia during a rare interview with the Arabic-language online newspaper Elaph.
Cohen said that Saudi Arabia joining the expanding list of Arab and Muslim countries that have made peace with Israel would “make history.” The minister was referring to a deal between the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel that would see a normalization agreement between the Saudi Kingdom and the Jewish State.
“A visit to Israel by a Saudi foreign minister would be a day of celebration,” he said, noting “the current Israeli government will take steps to improve the Palestinian economy.”
What other topics did the interview cover?
Cohen went on to discuss the issues of Hezbollah and Iran’s hostility, as well as the controversy surrounding the Israeli government’s planned judicial reforms.
“[Hassan] Nasrallah is weak, and the tent issue is his provocation,” he said of the Hezbollah leader. “Nasrallah is hiding in a bunker like a mouse. Israel can return Lebanon to the Stone Age.”
“Iran is the main financier of terrorism in the region and in the world, it is like a cancer – it destroys every country it enters,” Cohen said.
On judicial reforms, the minister said that opponents are “exaggerating concerns.”
Read More: ‘Palestinian issue’ not obstacle to Israel-Saudi peace, says FM Cohen
