Well, well, well, folks, it looks like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been warning the Saudi leadership about reigniting ties with Iran. Hold on to your hats, kids, because this is a big one. According to old Benny, “Those who partner with Iran partner with misery. Look at Lebanon, look at Yemen, look at Syria, look at Iraq,” while stressing that “95% of the problems in the Middle East emanate from Iran.” Sounds like Benny Boy has really been paying attention in class.

But wait, there’s more! It seems that a China-brokered deal last month has really thrown a wrench in the Israeli Prime Minister’s diplomatic crusade of pursuing Tehran’s political isolation. A détente between long-term rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran has dealt a blow to Netanyahu’s attempts to normalize relations with Riyadh, one of the wealthiest and most influential Arab states and a historical supporter of Palestinians. Yikes, sounds like Benny really has his work cut out for him.

Netanyahu isn’t taking this lying down, though. Nope, he’s urging greater U.S. engagement in the Middle East region. I mean, who wouldn’t want the US to come in like a superhero and clean up all the messes? We all know they have such a great track record in the region, right?

In case you’re feeling out of the loop, folks, the China-brokered deal has also marked a breakthrough for China — a key ally of Iran and major trade partner of Saudi Arabia — which has increasingly attempted to position itself as a diplomatic mediator in global politics. Apparently, even European leaders have asked China to use its sway on Russia to help resolve the war in Ukraine. Wow, seems like everyone is trying to get in on the action here.

Now, Netanyahu denies awareness of any Chinese initiative to intercede to end the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. “I’m not aware of any specific offer of this kind,” he said. “Look, we respect China, we deal with China a great deal. But we also know we have an indispensable alliance with our great friend the United States.” Well, we’ve got to hand it to him, folks, he’s really shown us how to dodge a question like a pro.

In case you were worried that Benny Boy was losing focus, never fear, he’s still trying to reconnect with Arab states since the September 2020 Abraham Accords. The agreement re-established relations between Israel and Saudi allies Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, which was a second divergence from the Saudi agenda, after Abu Dhabi in December 2018 then-controversially announced it would reopen its embassy in the Iran-allied Syria. Benny’s making good progress, but it seems that Saudi Arabia — with whom Israel has historically shared security concerns over Iran’s nuclear progress and military funding activity in the Middle East — has so far eluded Netanyahu’s diplomatic courtship. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

But hold on to your seats, folks, because Benny has big dreams for the future. According to him, “We’d like very much to have peace with Saudi Arabia. Because I think it would be another huge quantum leap for peace. In many ways it would end the Arab-Israeli conflict,” he said, noting this could pave the path for further diplomacy with Palestinians. “The way to get peace, ultimately, is to go to the Arab states first, make peace with the Arab world, and circle back in, then make peace with the Palestinians who realize Israel is here to stay.” Sounds like Benny’s got it all figured out, folks. All we need is a little bit of diplomacy with the Arab world, and then peace will just fall into our laps.

Now, Netanyahu also thinks that “the sky’s the limit” when it comes to his hopes for a relationship with Saudi Arabia. “And even the sky’s not the limit, because there are many opportunities in space as well,” he said. Well, we can’t argue with that, folks. I mean, if we can’t find peace down here on earth, why not try up in space, right?

All joking aside, though, it seems that a foreign policy hit has come at a time when Netanyahu contends with domestic tensions over his controversial judicial overhaul and recent salvos against alleged Lebanon-based infrastructures belonging to the Iran-funded Hamas militant group. Before that, footage of Israeli forces beating worshippers in Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque during the Arabic holy month of Ramadan drew international condemnations, including from Saudi Arabia. So, it looks like Benny’s got his hands full, folks. Let’s send him good vibes and see if he can make some real progress in the Middle East.

Serious News: cnbc