Prof. Teitelbaum: Improving relations with Saudi Arabia, which controls Islamic holy sanctuaries, also works to improve Israel’s relations with Muslim world

ARIEL BEN SOLOMON, www.jpost.com

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Excerpt:

Israel should keep its relations with Saudi Arabia as quiet as possible as it continues to explore other ways to improve relations, Prof. Joshua Teitelbaum, an expert on Saudi Arabia and the modern Middle East, told The Jerusalem Post. ...

In general, the Middle East expert supports a forward leaning Israeli negotiating stance regarding the Palestinian issue as it makes the country’s public diplomacy more effective. Israel needs to demonstrate more positively that it favors a two-state solution, even though one is not immediately attainable, he continued.

There is a chance, stressed Teitelbaum, that if Israel shows the Saudis that it is serious on resolving the Palestinian issue, the present confluence of interests between the two countries with respect to Iran may be the basis for the Saudis to pressure the Palestinians to be more flexible. ...