Saudi Arabia: No Normalization Deal While Netanyahu Leads
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Saudi Arabia will not agree to normalization with Israel while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads the government, a source close to the kingdom's position told Kan News. Riyadh insists on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict via a two-state solution, a goal they believe Netanyahu obstructs. The kingdom's stance is policy-driven, not personal, and prioritizes the Palestinian issue in any potential agreement. Saudi Arabia reportedly also worked with other Arab nations to unite the Joint List before the elections to potentially unseat Netanyahu.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Saudi Arabia will not normalize ties with Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership.
- Riyadh insists on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a prerequisite for normalization.
- A two-state solution is the basis Saudi Arabia seeks for peace negotiations.
- Saudi Arabia's opposition to Netanyahu is based on his policies, not his identity.
- The kingdom reportedly worked to unite Arab parties in Israel to influence election outcomes.
Saudi Arabia has indicated that a normalization agreement with Israel will not be reached as long as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his current coalition remain in power. A source familiar with Saudi Arabia's position told Kan News on Thursday that Riyadh desires peace and negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian issue based on a two-state solution, but believes Netanyahu is not committed to this path.
This stance echoes a similar message from Riyadh in August, when a source close to the Saudi royal family stated that normalization would not occur without the establishment of a Palestinian state. Another source from the Saudi royal family has previously accused Netanyahu of not being interested in peace, attributing the opposition not to Netanyahu's identity but to his policies, which they view as seeking escalation rather than peace.
These statements follow Israel's recent elections, although Riyadh has not yet officially commented on the results. The source emphasized that Saudi Arabia is indifferent to the identity of Israel's prime minister, considering it an internal Israeli matter. The key condition for advancing relations, according to the source, is the willingness of the next prime minister to negotiate a resolution to the Palestinian issue, which has persisted for seventy years.
Saudi Arabia continues to prioritize the Palestinian issue in its normalization discussions over other regional matters. In September, a Saudi official clarified that even Israeli intelligence assistance in combating the Houthis in Yemen would not alter the kingdom's position. Last week, Kan News reported that Saudi Arabia, along with other Arab nations, had worked to unite the Joint List before the elections, aiming to facilitate Netanyahu's removal from power. This effort, reportedly involving discussions with Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, was based on the assessment in Riyadh that a unified Arab party could influence the formation of a more favorable Israeli government, particularly regarding the Palestinian issue and confronting Iran.
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