Saudi deal with Iran worries Israel, shakes up Middle East
By ISABEL DEBRE and SAMY MAGDY
Associated Press
JERUSALEM (AP) — News of the rapprochement between long-time regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran sent shock waves through the Middle East and dealt a symbolic blow to Israel’s prime minister. Benjamin Netanyahu had made the threat posed by Tehran a public diplomacy priority and personal crusade. The Iran-Saudi deal came after more than a year of negotiations in Baghdad and more recent talks in China. The breakthrough also became ensnared in Israel’s internal politics, reflecting the country’s divisions at a moment of national turmoil. In countries like Yemen and Syria, long caught between the Sunni kingdom and the Shiite powerhouse, the deal stirred cautious optimism.
