The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz reported, citing foreign diplomats, that significant progress has been made in the normalization discussions between Saudi Arabia and the Israeli occupation state. With just an agreement between the Saudi Arabian and Israeli governments remaining regarding the official declaration, the agreement is viewed as the apex of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS) reign.
According to the newspaper, the old question of whether Saudi Arabia and Israel agree to normalize relations is no longer open for debate, and its replacement is when the agreement’s official date will be revealed.
Under similar circumstances, US Secretary of State Blinken stated, “Notable progress has been made in Saudi-Israeli relations and that Saudi Arabia welcomes normalization with Israel,” but it has set a new condition—recognition of a Palestinian state—and asked Israel to agree to it, even if it is formal. Blinken made these remarks during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia. According to the experts, the issue arose to preserve its reputation after it lost favor with Muslims and those who opposed the genocide against Gaza.
It is noteworthy that international media outlets have reported that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has concluded its decision to normalize relations with Israel in the wake of a brutal war intended to wipe out the Gazan population. However, the exact timing of this decision will depend on whether it occurs before or after the US presidential elections, which Saudi Arabia is hoping to influence through substantial financial support for Donald Trump, a candidate who is known for his bias against Palestine. Trump may also help to expedite the process of normalization, seal the deal, and provide MBS with opportunities in the international political sphere that were unavailable to him during President Joe Biden’s administration.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia made the decision to come to an agreement with the Israeli occupation because it views this as a first strategic step toward improving relations with the United States. In recent times, relations with the United States had been strained due to the Kingdom’s human rights record, which included backing regional dictators, fighting in Yemen, and the murder of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In the same context, Saudi Arabia has opposed all forms of support for the Palestinians since the Israeli war on Gaza began, including fundraising campaigns, aiding the people of Gaza, and praying in the Haram. The authorities also detained several activists who shared videos of themselves praying at the Kaaba, raising flags, or donning Palestinian badges within the Kingdom, in addition to running weekly campaigns of support for the children of Ukraine via successive planes and denying the people of Gaza access to any aid coming from the Kingdom. Finally, Saudi Arabia holds nearly weekly meetings with the occupation in NEOM and continues to supply fuel to the Israeli army.
