Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Saudi Arabia of potential "misery" for partnering with Iran in a recent China-brokered deal between the two Arab nations.
"Those who partner with Iran partner with misery. Look at Lebanon, look at Yemen, look at Syria, look at Iraq," Netanyahu said during a televised interview with CNBC Wednesday, adding that "95% of the problems in the Middle East emanate from Iran."
Following China-led negotiations in March, "Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume diplomatic relations and re-open embassies ... within two months," the news outlet reported at the time.
According to the report, the negotiations took place in Beijing and both rival nations agreed to affirm "the respect for the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in internal affairs of states."
Netanyahu said Wednesday that the deal was reached to end the bloody conflict in Yemen.
"I think it has probably a lot more to do with the desire to de-escalate or even eliminate the long-standing conflict in Yemen," he said in the CNBC interview. "I think that Saudi Arabia, the leadership there, has no illusions about who are their adversaries and who are their friends."
Netanyahu also prodded the United States to take a more proactive role in the Middle East and increase its commitment as a leader for peace in the region.
"I think that not only Israel, but I think in many ways most of the … countries in the Middle East would welcome an American — not merely the American involvement in the Middle East, which has been ongoing — but a greater engagement of America in the Middle East," he said. "I think it's very important for the United States to be very clear about its commitment and engagement in the Middle East."
Netanyahu also said he would like to see better relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia as well.
"We'd like very much to have peace with Saudi Arabia, because I think it would be another huge quantum leap for peace. In many ways it would end the Arab-Israeli conflict," he said. "We would like to expand the circle of peace to its totality."
The report said that Israel has been moving more aggressively toward peace with Saudi Arabia after the 2020 Abraham Accords that the administration of former President Donald Trump brokered reestablishing diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
That same peace accord also led to both Sudan and Morocco recognizing Israel, the report said.
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