Netanyahu rejected secret Saudi peace plan after Gaza war — report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a secret proposal from Saudi Arabia to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal at the end of the 2014 Gaza war, according to a Channel 13 news report.

Israeli and Saudi sources familiar with the proposal told the TV station the plan was an “upgraded version of the Arab peace initiative.”

At a closed door meeting in September 2014, Saudi officials proposed to resume negotiations with Palestinians, and Riyadh would lead efforts to rehabilitate the Gaza Strip.

According to the report, the Saudi king’s special envoy, Bandar bin Sultan, and another top official met with Netanyahu in an unnamed third country, and proposed the two countries jointly announce the peace initiative at the UN general assembly later that month.

Netanyahu initially agreed, and presented the Saudi officials with a list of Israeli demands. The Saudis agreed to most of the Israeli document, but told Netanyahu’s negotiators they “also needed to show flexibility” on some of the points.

Sources close to the prime minister said Netanyahu refused, and the talks broke down.

Sources in Saudi Arabia told Channel 13 that Riyadh “went further than they have ever gone,” in the negotiations with Israel, and blamed Netanyahu for the initiative’s failure.