WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Saudi Crown Prince said in a rare on Wednesday that negotiations over Israel means the prospects of normalized relations between both countries 鈥済et closer" every day, but that treatment of Palestinians remains a 鈥渧ery important鈥� issue to be resolved.
Saudi Arabia is with the United States to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for a U.S. defense pact and aid in developing its own civilian nuclear program. 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鈥檚 history.
鈥淔or us, the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part," Saudi Arabi's de facto leader, widely known as MBS, said on 鈥淪pecial Report with Bret Baier鈥� in an interview conducted in English, adding that there had been 鈥済ood negotiations鈥� so far.
鈥淲e got to see where we go," the prince 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.鈥�
He also denied reports that the talks had been suspended, saying 鈥渆very day, we get closer.鈥�
The interview aired shortly after President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while both were in New York for the meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. about the far-right Israeli government鈥檚 treatment of the Palestinians and urged Netanyahu to take steps to improve conditions in the West Bank at a time of heightened violence in the occupied territory.
Netanyahu鈥檚 office said the meeting 鈥渕ostly dealt with ways to establish an historic peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which could greatly advance an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict and facilitate the establishment of an economic corridor to link Asia, the Middle East and Europe.鈥�
Asked during the interview about working with someone as conservative as Netanyahu, bin Salman said 鈥淚f we have a breakthrough, reaching a deal that gives the Palestinians their needs and (making) the region calm, we鈥檝e got to work with whoever鈥檚 there.鈥�
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters before the interview was shown that it was best for the leaders of Israel and Saudi Arabia 鈥渢o speak to how close they think they are, and where they think they are" in the process.
"Obviously, we encourage normalization. We think it鈥檚 good not just for Israel and Saudi Arabia, we think it鈥檚 good for the whole region,鈥� Kirby said.
Bin Salman was also questioned about the possibility of Iran eventually building a nuclear weapon and said 鈥渨e are concerned of any country getting a nuclear weapon鈥� and that that if Iran were to get one, Saudi Arabi will seek to do the same: 鈥淲e will have to get one.鈥�
Bin Salman has given very few interviews to Western media outlets, particularly since , a Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist, in an operation by Saudi agents that U.S. intelligence says was likely approved by the prince. The prince has denied any involvement.
He said on Fox News Channel of Khashoggi's killing that "we tried to reform the security system to be sure that these kinds of mistakes doesn鈥檛 happen again.鈥�
鈥淚t was a mistake. It was painful,鈥� bin Salman said, while insisting that 鈥渆veryone involved鈥� served jail time.
In the five years since, the kingdom has it had as focus has shifted to major diplomatic initiatives and , the prince鈥檚 wide-ranging plan for overhauling the economy, providing jobs for young people and weaning the kingdom off oil revenues.
Bin Salman was also asked about , an ex-White House adviser and former President Donald Trump鈥檚 son-in-law who from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund to jump start his new private equity firm. The prince said 鈥渨e look鈥� for global investment opportunities and that PIF keeps its commitments to investors 鈥� planning to do so even if Trump wins another term as president next year.
Saudi Arabia has made major progress in winding down its devastating war with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, this week in the capital, Riyadh. It spearheaded the return of Syria to the Arab League, and in March agreed to a Chinese-brokered deal to restore diplomatic relations with Iran, its main regional rival.
The prince's far-reaching social reforms have transformed the kingdom from an ultraconservative state governed by a strict form of Islamic law to an aspiring entertainment powerhouse, investing billions of dollars in everything from and to .
But the prince has proven to be even less tolerant of dissent than his predecessors. Saudis who speak out against his policies can face long prison sentences , and that has .
The 38-year-old bin Salman assumed day-to-day rule after the aging King Salman named him next in line to the throne in 2017.
Biden, who had vowed to make Saudi Arabia a 鈥減ariah鈥� over the Khashoggi killing while campaigning for president in 2020, has since , patching up relations with the crown prince while seeking his help in controlling oil prices and managing other regional issues.
Bin Salman said during the interview that "the agenda between Saudi Arabia and America today is really interesting" and characterized his country's relationship with Biden as 鈥渞eally amazing.鈥�
He was also asked about critics who have accused Saudi Arabia of investing heavily in golf and other sports in attempted 鈥渟portswashing,鈥� or spending to improve the kingdom's political image abroad. The prince said he wasn't bothered by such charges and if sports investments continue to grow Saudi Arabia's Gross Domestic Product significantly, then his country would "continue to do sportswashing."
Will Weissert, The Associated Press
