Saudi Rejects Trump's Push for Normalisation of Relations with Israel
Riyadh – Saudi Arabia has stated it will not normalise relations with Israel without an ‘irreversible path’ towards an independent Palestinian state. The position was communicated by Saudi sources to international media following US President Donald Trump’s urging of several Muslim and Arab nations to immediately join the Abraham Accords normalisation agreement as part of the ceasefire deal with Iran.
Trump previously called on Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Pakistan to ‘immediately’ establish diplomatic relations with Israel. The demand came amid Washington’s efforts to negotiate a new deal with Iran.
However, Saudi sources affirmed that Riyadh’s stance remains unchanged. The kingdom would only consider normalisation if there is a clear and irreversible process leading to an independent Palestinian state.
This statement reaffirms Saudi Arabia’s official position over recent years that peace with Israel cannot be separated from resolving the Palestinian issue.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan previously stated normalisation would not occur without a path to a Palestinian state. ‘Stability can only be achieved through resolving the Palestinian issue,’ Faisal said in an interview cited by Anadolu Agency in 2024.
Riyadh’s stance emerges as the Trump administration pushes to expand the Abraham Accords, which previously involved the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
According to Times of Israel reports, Trump has made expanding the Abraham Accords a key part of his Middle East diplomacy strategy, and has reportedly urged Muslim nations involved in Iran talks to normalise ties with Israel.
However, the Gaza war and growing public pressure in the Arab world have made Saudi-Israeli normalisation increasingly difficult to achieve.
Analysts suggest Saudi Arabia faces significant pressure as custodian of Islam’s two holy cities, Mecca and Medina. Normalising ties with Israel without a concrete solution for Palestine could provoke public outrage across the Muslim world.
Official diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel have never been established. Riyadh has consistently maintained that establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is a prerequisite for formal ties with Israel.