Middle East Forum Chief Strategist Jim Hanson spoke with Stuart Varney on FOX Business about the meetings between President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. They discussed the possibility of a Palestinian state, the implications of the Saudis buying F-35 fighters, and the Saudi pivot to a high tech economy.
FOX: All right, Middle East Forum Chief Editor Jim Hanson joins me now. Jim,
the Saudis join the Abraham Accords if the Palestinians get a state.
That would seem to be quite a sticking point. What do you say?
HANSON: I think that’s a negotiation point as opposed to a sticking point. I don’t think there’s any reasonable path for the Palestinians to have a state in probably a generation.
They have such an ingrained, indoctrinated hatred of Israel that’s irrational that it’s impossible for them to live in peace. So I think that we’ll negotiate some more. There was an awful lot of amazing deals made. President Trump is definitely dealmaker-in-chief right now. And I think that is one of the points that they’ll have to deal with.
But it’s great to have the Saudis on board for the regional peace strategy.
FOX: What is the significance of the Saudis getting our very advanced F-35 fighter jets? Does it bring peace to the Middle East? Does it help with the peace process?
HANSON: It helps with our cost for producing F-35s, for certain. It helps with our relationship with the Saudis. It’s going to be a sticking point with the Qataris, who have wanted F-35s for a while, and there’s a rivalry between those two countries, both of whom are deeply involved in the regional peace strategy.
So I think it’s a step towards involving the Saudis more deeply in that. I don’t see those fighters as being a tipping point in any way, you know, as the power balance in the region. But the idea that we will let the Saudis have them now and deepen our security relationship with them is a major step.
FOX: As enormous amounts of money are flowing, backwards and forwards, the United States and Saudi Arabia, especially in the area of AI, artificial intelligence. Can Saudi Arabia become an AI power?
HANSON: You know, they’d love to. I mean, that was Mohammed bin Salman’s plan. He wanted a tech corridor, you know, up near Egypt. He wanted to go ahead and transition from an oil-based economy to a technology and finance-based economy.
And they’ve got the resources to do something like that, and the ability as a kingdom to push resources in a way that other countries can’t, singularly focus on. So I think it would be a great step to get them going that direction and be part of the solution.
FOX: Jim Hanson, all sounds positive. Jim, thanks for joining us this morning. We appreciate it. See you again soon.
