Trump's key move for global Muslim-Jewish relations: Saudi normalization with Israel - opinion

We are in the midst of a raging conflict between Muslims and Jews worldwide. Last Thursday evening, Amsterdam was the scene of one of the most disgraceful and despicable antisemitic acts in Europe since World War II. Pro-Palestinian assailants attacked Israeli fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team in the streets of the Dutch city after a game between the Israeli team and a local team. Jews were hunted down and viciously assaulted.

For the past year, the world has witnessed a litany of demonstrations at the highest level of tensions between Muslims and Jews beyond the Middle East – around the world, on campuses, in stadiums, and even on the streets.

Amsterdam was yet another reminder that the current conflict between Israel and Palestinians is more than a regional war. It has become a global conflict between Muslims and Jews in Europe, North America, and other parts of the world.

Political pundits have projected that President-elect Donald Trump’s next move to resolve the conflict in the Middle East will be to continue the momentum of the Abraham Accords by bringing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on board. The president-elect should recognize that the kingdom is not only the pathway to regional peace; it is also the conduit for a dramatic change in global Muslim-Jewish relations.

First and foremost, Saudi Arabia holds supreme religious significance for Muslims globally as the spiritual center of Islam and the custodian of Islam’s two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina. As such, its normalization with the Jewish state would reverberate and resonate throughout the Muslim world, thus building and strengthening interreligious cooperation between Muslims and Jews.

The kingdom’s embrace of diplomatic ties with Israel would send a resounding, profound message to 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide. It would signify a definitive shift towards greater acceptance, understanding, and cooperation with the Jewish people.

Ushering in a new era of cooperation

Similarly, for Jews worldwide, numbering around 16 million, this normalization would offer a beacon of hope amid longstanding tensions. It would signify not only a diplomatic achievement but also a concrete bridge towards mutual reconciliation and respect.

One of Trump’s key accomplishments during his first term was brokering the Abraham Accords, a series of agreements between Israel and several Arab nations. These deals were a breakthrough in Arab-Israeli relations, ushering in a new era of cooperation between historically hostile nations. But more than political agreements, the accords were dramatic achievements that demonstrated the potential for religious cooperation in a region defined by sectarian divides.

For Trump, facilitating Saudi normalization would be both a political and an interfaith triumph. His legacy in the Middle East is already defined by his ability to broker peace between historically hostile nations. Encouraging Saudi Arabia to follow the lead of the UAE, Bahrain, and other Arab states in recognizing Israel would be a major interreligious breakthrough.

Trump’s focus on interfaith cooperation was also key to his reelection strategy. By reaching out to Muslim and Arab communities, he demonstrated his understanding of the power of inclusion, recognizing these groups as politically, spiritually, and culturally important. His ability to unite Muslims, Arabs, Jews, and Christians around shared goals of peace and stability forged a new coalition based on mutual respect and shared values.

Trump’s success in guiding Saudi Arabia toward normalization with Israel will champion his legacy both politically and spiritually. His efforts will show that Middle East peace can impact the region politically as well as influence Muslim-Jewish relations globally, thus fostering interreligious cooperation and understanding.

The writer is a noted adviser to many Gulf states and the president of the NewYork- based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. He is the author of Sons of Abraham: A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and Muslims.