Thomas Friedman: Biden told Netanyahu to choose between his coalition and Saudi peace

Arutz Sheva ^ | 24/9/23

[Eleutheria5]

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, known for his close ties to US President Joe Biden, published an op-ed on Saturday following Biden’s meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York this past week.

Friedman asserted that, while appearing friendly toward Netanyahu, the President had "privately slip[ped] a homework assignment into Bibi's pocket."

This assignment, according to Friedman, was for Netanyahu to decide whether to dismantle his coalition, or miss out on the chance to achieve normalization with Saudi Arabia.

“It was a master class in how a US president puts a fateful decision to an Israeli leader — one that poses to that Israeli leader the most excruciating challenge of his political career. That is: either blow up the extremist cabinet you’ve built to keep yourself out of jail — and replace it with a national unity coalition — or blow up the chance for peace with Saudi Arabia, which could pave the way for Israel’s acceptance across the whole Muslim world,” wrote Friedman.

Among the conditions Netanyahu would have accept in exchange for normalization with Saudi Arabia, as outlined in the article, would be curbing Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria, improving living and travel conditions for Palestinian Arabs there, advancing Palestinian Arab administration over more of their populated areas in accordance with the Oslo Accords and in essence agreeing to steps on the ground that preserve the option of a two-state solution.

Earlier this month, Friedman wrote a column which he urged the US and Saudi Arabia not to go through with a deal to normalize Saudi-Israeli relations, claiming that Netanyahu’s government “is not normal”.

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[FreedomForce]

Tom Friedman has always been one of the dumbest pundits.

[Eleutheria5]

“Tom Friedman has always been one of the dumbest pundits.”

That’s impressive, given the competition.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

[Rusty0604]

Even Before the War Started, Bidenites Were Hampering Israeli-Saudi Normalization

Israeli and Saudi officials say that the United States is hampering normalization by keeping the focus on the Palestinians.

One source noted that on the big issues there are no insurmountable gaps because the disagreements are not substantial, adding that American emphasis on the Palestinian aspect has been perceived as over the top.

The criticism of the White House among Israeli figures and Saudi elements has been voiced behind closed doors. The officials stress that Riyadh is not part of the pressure on Israel to make major diplomatic concessions to the Palestinians. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in an interview with Fox News several weeks ago, refused to make demands from Israel on the Palestinian issue and has simply stated that his expectation was merely that Israel “improved the lives of Palestinians.”

https://www.jihadwatch.org/2023/10/bidenites-hamper-israeli-saudi-normalization