Saudi Arabia has conveyed messages to senior U.S. officials in recent weeks indicating it is prepared to resume discussions about joining the Abraham Accords, but only under conditions that are unlikely to be accepted by Israel’s current government, according to a report by *Israel Hayom*.
Citing three sources familiar with the matter, the report says Saudi officials have been holding diplomatic contacts with the White House, State Department, and members of Congress.
According to one of the sources, representatives of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman outlined two key conditions: that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu no longer serve as Israel’s prime minister following the next elections, and that policies advanced by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich in Yehuda and Shomron in recent years be reversed.
The sources said Saudi Arabia believes the two issues are linked, arguing that as long as Netanyahu remains in office, he is expected to continue supporting Smotrich’s policies, making a normalization agreement unlikely.
During the war, Saudi Arabia reportedly explored the possibility of recognizing Israel in exchange for major Israeli concessions on the Palestinian issue, including a declaration by Netanyahu supporting the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu rejected those demands, and the talks did not advance.
The report also states that the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham had been involved in efforts over recent years to promote closer ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Sources familiar with the discussions said many of Saudi Arabia’s demands are intended to advance a broader diplomatic process and may not necessarily represent immediate preconditions for an agreement.
The report further claims Saudi Arabia frustrated President Trump during the conflict with Iran by opposing military plans related to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and by refusing to allow the United States to use American bases on Saudi soil for operations against Iran.
According to the report, Saudi Arabia’s recent diplomatic outreach is intended to reinforce its importance as a strategic U.S. partner while promoting a regional diplomatic process aimed at preventing renewed conflict between the United States and Iran.
The Saudi Embassy did not respond to requests for comment.
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4 Responses
Israel needs to be wary since any American support for a Saudi-Israeli “accords” will end when Trump leave office, at least if the Democrats win. Also, the Israelis have to remember that Saudi Arabic is a dictatorship that doesn’t even hold elections, and in the people in Arabic ever get control of the government they are unlikely to honor any agreement.
For long term security, Israeli should be trying for a peace agreement with the Palestinians (Arab residents of West Bank and Gaza), since if the Palestinians sign off on a agreement, that will force all the Muslims states to end hostilities against Israel (and probably the Jews, and most of the anti-Semitism in the western world is attributable to Muslim influence).
Saudia Arabia should not dictate to Israel. We need to replace all Arab workers either Asians.
Let Saudia Arabia take in all the gazans and Arabs from Israel. They have the space and money. Israel needs more room for Jewish people.
So, they’ll join accords only if the person responsible for implementing those accords will not be there? makes sense.
But maybe if Bibi will get string support from religious Jews and center, then he’ll not have to rely on nationalistic votes so much? Or is it not realistic?
Maybe during coalition negotiations, Bibi will get assurances from Saudis to talk to a more centrist government and then all centrist generals will join him together with datiim?