Daily Times

TEL AVIV: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair says if Israel agrees to a Saudi “peace” initiative, Arab states will be willing to normalize their relations with Tel Aviv. “Provided the Israeli administration is ready to commit to a discussion around the Arab peace initiative… it would be possible to have some steps of normalization,” the Israeli daily Haaretz quoted Blair as saying. “With the new leadership in the region, today that is possible,” he said, citing Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Last week, Sisi called on Israeli officials and the Palestinians to grasp what he termed a “real opportunity” for peace. “A lot will depend on the response of the Israeli administration to President Sisi’s initiative and to the Arab peace initiative, and to whatever steps the Israelis are ready to take,” he added. Israeli media reported on Friday that Saudi Arabia and its allies have asked Israel to resume Middle East negotiations under new terms which include changes to Riyadh’s “peace” initiative. The kingdom, its Persian Gulf allies, Jordan and Egypt have been sending messages to Israel through various emissaries, including former British PM Tony Blair, the Israeli newspaper Arutz Sheva reported. “They are expecting to receive from Israel a response and are also expecting Israel to make gestures toward the Palestinians” in the West Bank, the paper said. The Saudi “peace” initiative, unveiled in 2002, offers to normalize ties with Israel by 22 Arab countries in return for Tel Aviv’s withdrawal from the occupied West Bank. Tel Aviv has rejected the Saudi initiative due to the fact that it calls for Israel to accept the right of return for the Palestinians who were forced to flee their homes under the Israeli occupation.