The Arab world has never witnessed a more humiliating political landscape than it does today. Nations that once shaped regional politics and defended the Palestinian cause are now retreating into subservience, compromising historical positions in pursuit of political survival. Among them, Saudi Arabia, which has long prided itself on being a leader in the Arab and Islamic worlds, has under Mohammed bin Salman’s rule become little more than a marginal state orbiting the United States, eager to make any concession in exchange for a fragile and superficial legitimacy. While the Saudi regime continues to proclaim its unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, the reality tells a very different story—one where normalization with Israel is no longer a question of “if” but “when,” with Riyadh willing to offer everything without securing anything in return.
Since the initial discussions of normalization, Saudi Arabia has carefully curated its public stance, presenting itself as a firm defender of Palestinian rights while subtly preparing the groundwork for diplomatic ties with Israel. Official rhetoric continues to emphasize the need for a “just peace” and a two-state solution, but behind closed doors, reports confirm that negotiations with Israel have remained active. Riyadh was reportedly on the verge of signing an official normalization agreement before the outbreak of the most recent war in Gaza, which temporarily stalled the process. Mohammed bin Salman, in his attempt to fashion himself as a bold reformer leading Saudi Arabia into a new era, has demonstrated an alarming willingness to break political taboos and offer far-reaching concessions in pursuit of personal ambitions. His decision-making lacks strategic depth and is instead guided by a desire for international validation and media-driven theatrics.
Saudi Arabia’s trajectory under Mohammed bin Salman follows an unsettling pattern—subservience to Washington, reckless economic pledges such as the $600 billion investment in the U.S. in response to an offhand remark by President Trump, and now, an evident push toward normalizing ties with Israel, despite overwhelming public opposition across the Arab and Islamic worlds. Unlike other nations that have approached normalization as a calculated geopolitical maneuver, the Saudi regime appears ready to embrace Israel without securing any significant political or economic gains. In diplomacy, no country offers concessions without extracting something in return, yet under Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia is poised to break this rule. The normalization process, dictated by U.S. pressure rather than national interests, risks stripping Riyadh of what little geopolitical leverage it still holds.
If Mohammed bin Salman believes that aligning with Israel will strengthen his position and earn Saudi Arabia greater U.S. protection, he is gravely mistaken. History has shown that Washington prioritizes its own interests above all else, and regimes that bet their survival on American goodwill often find themselves abandoned when strategic calculations shift. The UAE, which preceded Saudi Arabia in normalizing ties with Israel, has reaped little tangible benefit from the arrangement. Instead, it has been used to further legitimize Israeli policies while its resources have been redirected to serve Israeli interests. The anticipated economic and political returns never materialized, and Saudi Arabia is unlikely to fare any better. If Riyadh proceeds with normalization under these conditions, it will not only lose credibility among its regional allies but will also accelerate its decline as an independent power.
Saudi Arabia’s diminishing role on the world stage is no accident—it is a direct consequence of the leadership’s failure to establish a clear strategic vision. Once a heavyweight in the region due to its economic power, religious significance, and diplomatic influence, the kingdom now finds itself sidelined in major geopolitical discussions. Under Mohammed bin Salman, Riyadh has been reduced to a passive actor that merely follows external directives rather than shaping policy outcomes. This is not the behavior of a sovereign nation with a long-term strategy; it is the trajectory of a state that has lost control of its own political agency.
A nation that commands respect sets its policies based on independent decision-making and national interests, yet Saudi Arabia under its current leadership operates under the dictates of Washington and Tel Aviv. Mohammed bin Salman’s tenure has been defined by a startling willingness to make concessions—not as part of a well-thought-out diplomatic strategy, but as a desperate attempt to secure international approval. The crown prince, who governs with an erratic and often impulsive political style, alternates between lavish economic pledges and reckless foreign policy shifts, convinced that normalization with Israel will elevate Saudi Arabia’s global standing. However, he fails to grasp that true influence is built on strategic independence and self-reliance—not on subordination and endless compromises.
The United States, which Mohammed bin Salman has positioned as Saudi Arabia’s ultimate guarantor, has made no effort to conceal its disregard for the kingdom’s autonomy. President Trump, who previously secured $450 billion in Saudi investments in 2017, bluntly stated that he would only respect Saudi Arabia if it continued to pay more. In 2025, Trump demanded another $500 billion, only for Mohammed bin Salman to voluntarily pledge $600 billion—an act that illustrates Saudi Arabia’s transformation into a financial instrument for U.S. foreign policy rather than a sovereign decision-maker. Meanwhile, Israel sees Saudi Arabia’s eagerness as an unparalleled opportunity to further entrench its influence in the region without making a single concession. For Tel Aviv, normalization with Riyadh is not a diplomatic achievement—it is a strategic victory that solidifies its position while requiring no reciprocity. If Saudi Arabia proceeds with normalization under these terms, it will not be signing a simple diplomatic accord; it will be making a declaration of its own decline as a sovereign state.
At a time when Saudi Arabia faces economic stagnation, increasing dependency on external actors, and the erosion of its once-formidable influence, normalization with Israel under these conditions will mark the culmination of its geopolitical decline. Mohammed bin Salman, who presents himself as the architect of Saudi Arabia’s future, is in reality leading the country toward a precarious path that threatens its regional standing and political identity. If these policies persist, Saudi Arabia will not only lose its influence but will also find itself relegated to the status of a client state, serving external interests rather than shaping its own destiny.
