How does strenth of the attraction between water molecules and sodium and chloride ions compare with the strength of the attraction between the sodium ions and chloride ions?

I think the attraction of water with the ions is stronger than just the ions attraction, because if the attraction was greater than that of water, it would not have dissolved. Sodium is positively charged so it attracts the oxygen while hydrogen faces away, while chloride ion is negative and therefore it attracts the hydrogen atoms while the oxygen atom faces away.