It's important that a proposed deal to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel be supported as a bipartisan measure to ensure that it lasts, Ric Grenell, a national intelligence director and ambassador under former President Donald Trump, said on Newsmax on Friday.
"When President Trump put forward several of these Abraham Accords [agreements] it was done by a Republican," Grenell told Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "I think now to have the big one with [Saudi Arabia], we're going to need to have a really good bipartisan push, and what that means is that the Democrats and the Biden administration are going to have to own this."
He added that both sides recognize that reaching a deal while Biden is in office is "probably a good thing," as that means the bipartisan nature of the agreement "will make it [more] lasting."
But the deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia will be the most difficult, meaning it will take not only a bipartisan effort, but some sensitivity, as well, said Grenell.
"The Saudis, I think, want some sort of a security guarantee, and that's difficult for America to try to figure out," Grenell said. "How do we guarantee another country's security? A country like Saudi Arabia, we've got to think long and hard through these issues. We've got to remember that the number-one criteria is whatever we support has to be good for America and Americans."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also called on President Joe Biden to pledge to include a security agreement that deters Iran in the deal the United States is seeking with Saudi Arabia, as Iran is expanding its nuclear program.
Further, given the deal is crucial for Isreal and the United States, "we have to be able to think about this outside of the world of politics," said Grenell.
"What's good for the Middle East, what's good for Israeli security, and what's good for Americans is that we have more of these peace accords," he added. "I hope that both sides are working with the Biden administration. I hope that the administration is reaching out to a variety of different Republicans to try to make foreign policy something that is not partisan."
Grenell said that during the Trump administration, the accords work was done in a non-partisan way, and instead was "economic driven."
"You look at these peace accords, the Abraham Accords, they were largely driven without any politics in mind," said Grenell. "It's too bad the Europeans didn't join us more, but we need to be able to get to the point where politics is removed from foreign policy. It makes everything last longer and certainly gives us more peace."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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