Saudi Arabia is best positioned to be the peace maker

Fifth, given that the conflict between Israel and Iran is a source of considerable regional instability, normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel and the resumed Saudi-Iranian diplomatic relations will certainly have a calming regional effect, which Riyadh seeks. This will not alleviate Israel's concerns over Tehran's nuclear program nor completely mitigate Tehran's adversarial attitude toward Israel, but it will soften Iranian proxy Hezbollah's position toward Israel and reduce the chances of a future conflagration between Hezbollah and Israel.

Sixth, an Israeli peace under the current Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership or a future moderate one in the West Bank will inescapably force Palestinian extremists Hamas and Islamic Jihad to reevaluate their position toward Israel. They will have to either join the PA and form a unity government (provided they first recognize Israel's right to exist) or refuse to be a part of the peace process and continue to suffer under the blockade. Hamas realized long ago that Israel's reality is irrevocable and once a Saudi initiative is produced it may well find a way to join the peace process, especially now that Gaza is increasingly dependent on Israel on many fronts, in particular job opportunities for tens of thousands of Gazans.

To be sure, the Saudis have a golden opportunity to dramatically change the dynamic of the conflict by renewing their own 2002 peace initiative. That said, it will be naïve to assume that the Saudis can simply convene the two parties and hammer out a solution. The decades-long deep animosity, hatred, and distrust between Israel and the Palestinians must first be largely mitigated through a process of reconciliation-people-to-people and government-to-government. Such a process should be monitored by the Saudis and the US and extend over a number of years provided that both sides agree in advance on the establishment of a Palestinian state as being the ultimate outcome of the negotiations.

Under the worst possible scenario, if Israel and the Palestinians refuse to consider any Saudi initiative, that should not deter Saudi Arabia from trying. As the emerging and undisputed leader in the Middle East which seeks prosperity, security, and stability, Riyadh simply cannot afford to ignore the simmering Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Both Israel and the Palestinians need Saudi Arabia. It is now up to Riyadh to seize the opportunity and assert its position as a regional leader and take up the mantle of peace maker.