US Ambassador to Israel: Normalization Plans with Saudi Arabia Turned Upside Down after October 7

The US Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, indicated that when he was nominated by President Joe Biden for his position last September, he believed he would help bring the normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia to fruition. In a statement to the Israeli newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth," Lew remarked that "those plans turned upside down after October 7, 2023," clarifying that "his goal is to overcome the crisis and return to the original path." He revealed details about the "potential Saudi-Israeli normalization deal," emphasizing that "this is why I decided to take this stance in the first place, and to emerge from this period of terrible darkness, there needs to be a vision for something better, sustainable, stable, and safer for Israel and the region." He added, "The window is still open to reach an agreement, although it will become more difficult over time, as Riyadh intensifies its criticism of Israel's ongoing war in Gaza."