US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a powerful pro-Israel lobby group on Monday that Saudi-Israeli normalization was extremely important to Washington and promised that Iran would never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.
“The United States has a genuine national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. We believe we can and must play a vital role in its advancement,” Blinken told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC.
Speaking hours before leaving for talks in Riyadh and Jeddah, Blinken said President Joe Biden’s administration was committed to the Abraham Accords, an initiative launched under former President Donald Trump to persuade Arab countries to establish formal relations with the Jewish state.
But so far, Riyadh has held back, although it has opened up to Israeli commercial flights and had extensive contact with Israel.
“Israel’s continued integration into the region contributes to a more stable, secure and prosperous region, and to a more secure Israel,” Blinken told the AIPAC audience.
He said the Biden administration has “no illusions” that full normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel can happen quickly or easily.
“But we remain committed to working towards this outcome, including during my trip this week to Jeddah and Riyadh for engagements with Saudi and Gulf counterparts,” he said.
Nonetheless, he added, “Integration and normalization efforts are not a substitute for progress between Israelis and Palestinians, and they should not come at its expense.”
Meanwhile, Blinken reiterated Washington’s promise that Iran will not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
“The US-Israeli relationship is guaranteed by the United States’ commitment to Israel’s security. That commitment is non-negotiable, it is ironclad,” he said.
“If Iran rejects the path of diplomacy, then, as President Biden has made clear many times, all options are on the table to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. “Blinken said.
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