Saudi Arabia Rules Out Normalization Without Palestinian Solution

Saudi Arabia will not normalize ties with Israel without a resolution to the Palestinian issue, a Saudi official familiar with the matter told Kan News on Wednesday. The official clarified that the path to normalization requires addressing the Palestinian question and that the Kingdom will not advance such a move through a third party or from a position of weakness. This statement comes amid reports that Israel has begun sharing intelligence with Riyadh, reportedly facilitated by the United States. A regional diplomat indicated that Saudi Arabia had requested assistance from Washington, which then relayed the request to Jerusalem. Israel's decision to share intelligence stems from its view of the Houthi rebels as a broad regional threat.

Meanwhile, the Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to make military gains. On Friday, sources within the Saudi-backed Yemeni government confirmed that the Houthis had completed their takeover of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait and seized Perim Island after the withdrawal of government forces. This follows the Houthi capture of the port city of Mokha and the town of Dhuabab, as well as rocket fire in the Al-A'ara region, according to sources aligned with the Iran-backed axis. Despite these setbacks, the Saudi official stated that Riyadh does not currently see a comprehensive military operation as the ultimate solution.

Instead, Saudi Arabia prefers to pursue an international solution for dismantling the threat intelligently. Their immediate goal is to regain control of areas recently captured by the rebels near the strait. The official emphasized that Saudi intelligence cooperation would not be a substitute for progress on the Palestinian front regarding normalization.