Saudi crown prince says relations with Israel 'get closer' every day

WASHINGTON — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud said in a rare interview with Fox News on Wednesday that negotiations over Israel mean the prospects of normalized relations between both countries "get closer" every day.

The crown prince said on Special Report with Bret Baier in an interview conducted in English, adding that there had been "good negotiations" so far.

He also denied reports that the talks had been suspended, saying "every day, we get closer".

The interview aired shortly after US President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while both were in New York for the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

On the sidelines of the General Assembly on Wednesday, Netanyahu also voiced optimism that a "historic" deal to establish diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia could be "within reach".

It was the first meeting between the two leaders since Netanyahu's return to office in December.

Netanyahu told Biden that "we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia".

Such a peace "would go a long way first to advance the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict, achieve reconciliation between the Islamic world and the Jewish state, and advance a genuine peace between Israel and the Palestinians", he added.

"This is something within our reach," the statement said.

Earlier this month, Israel's National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi said his country and the Palestinian Authority have held direct talks as part of Israel's efforts to normalize ties with Saudi Arabia.

However, Riyadh and Washington have emphasized in recent months that any US-brokered agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would require positive developments toward a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Saudi crown prince also emphasized in the interview that the treatment of Palestinians remains a "very important" issue to be resolved.

The Saudis have said any deal would require major progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state, which is a hard sell for the most religious and nationalist government in Israel's history.

"For us, the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part," the prince said.

"We got to see where we go," he said. "We hope that will reach a place, that it will ease the life of the Palestinians, get Israel as a player in the Middle East."

Agencies - Xinhua