Saudi Crown Prince to visit White House amid doubts on Israel ties
Saudi Crown Prince to visit White House amid doubts on Israel ties
Mohan Sinha
12 Nov 2025, 01:04 GMT+10
- U.S. President Donald Trump has been promoting the idea of Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel
- Such a breakthrough appears unlikely during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s upcoming visit to the White House this month
- Formal diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia — two countries long divided by conflict and ideology — would reshape the Middle East’s political and security lFormal diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia — two countries long divided by conflict and ideology — would reshape the Middle East’s political and security landscape and bolster U.S. influence in the regionandscape and bolster U.S. influence in the region
DUBAI, U.A.E.: U.S. President Donald Trump has been promoting the idea of Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel, but such a breakthrough appears unlikely during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s upcoming visit to the White House this month.
Formal diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia — two countries long divided by conflict and ideology — would reshape the Middle East’s political and security landscape and bolster U.S. influence in the region. Trump recently said he hoped Saudi Arabia would “very soon” join the Abraham Accords, the 2020 agreements that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations.
However, two Gulf sources told Reuters that Riyadh has privately told Washington its position remains unchanged: normalization can only happen if there is a clear roadmap toward Palestinian statehood. The Saudis want to align positions with the U.S. before making any announcements to avoid confusion during or after the November 18 White House talks.
Analysts say the Crown Prince, known as MbS, is unlikely to move forward on ties with Israel without “a credible pathway to a Palestinian state.” Jonathan Panikoff, a former U.S. intelligence official now at the Atlantic Council, said MbS will likely use the meeting to push Trump for more substantial support for Palestinian sovereignty.
This will be MbS’s first visit to Washington since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi leadership, in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul. MbS has denied involvement in the murder, which drew international condemnation.
While the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco have already normalized relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, those agreements did not address Palestinian statehood — a key Saudi demand. The kingdom, as the birthplace of Islam and guardian of Mecca and Medina, views recognition of Israel as a sensitive national issue tied to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Saudi officials say progress is unlikely while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains opposed to a Palestinian state. The war in Gaza has also hardened public opinion across the Arab world, making any move toward normalization politically risky.
Saudi Foreign Ministry official Manal Radwan recently reiterated Riyadh’s conditions: Israel must commit to a time-bound withdrawal from Gaza, allow the return of the Palestinian Authority, and support the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution.
For now, Saudi officials plan to focus the Trump-MbS meeting on defence cooperation and investment rather than normalization. The two sides are expected to finalize a scaled-back defence agreement expanding U.S.-Saudi collaboration on military technology and security.
Although the pact falls short of a full, Congress-ratified treaty, it includes provisions that allow future administrations to amend it. A NATO-style alliance remains a distant prospect — especially with easing tensions with Iran and reduced urgency for binding U.S. military guarantees.
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