Following a high-stakes meeting held in Riyadh, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has reiterated the kingdom’s keen interest in establishing diplomatic ties with Israel. However, this ambition comes with a clear condition – the resolution of the Gaza conflict and the establishment of a time-bound pathway towards a Palestinian state.

During a press conference held in Doha, Blinken shared insights into the discussions that took place between him and the Saudi Crown Prince. “With regard specifically to normalization,” Blinken stated, “the Crown Prince reiterated Saudi Arabia’s strong interest in pursuing that.”

This statement marks a significant development in the ongoing diplomatic efforts to foster relationships between Israel and its Arab neighbors. The potential normalization of ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel could have far-reaching implications for regional stability.

However, the Crown Prince emphasized that certain prerequisites must be met before full normalization can occur. Blinken elaborated: “But he also made clear what he had said to me before, which is that in order to do that, two things will be required – an end to the conflict in Gaza, and a clear, credible time-bound path to the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)