‘Many’ in Saudi Arabia want normalised ties with Israel, claims ex-CIA director Mike Pompeo
- Under the Abraham Accords brokered by Trump last year, four majority Arab states agreed to establish ties with Israel
- Publicly, Saudi Arabia has affirmed its decades-old policy of not establishing ties with Israel until a deal is reached to resolve the Palestinian conflict
Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said “many” people in Saudi Arabia want normalised relations with Israel, voicing hope the kingdom will join the Abraham Accords agreed during Donald Trump’s administration.
Pompeo, who served as Trump’s CIA director and top diplomat, made the comments in a recorded video address to the Combat anti-Semitism Movement, which will give him its inaugural Global Leadership Award on Monday.
Under the Abraham Accords brokered by Trump last year, four majority Arab states – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan – agreed to establish ties with Israel.
The Israeli press was rife with speculation about other Arab nations interested in joining the pact, with powerhouse Saudi Arabia widely regarded as a top prize for the Jewish state.
“Predicting the future has proven a struggle for me,” Pompeo said, adding that he thinks “many more” countries will seek ties with Israel.
“I hope that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can find its way to join the Abraham Accords. I know that many inside that country want that to take place,” he said.