Saudi Arabia Rejects Normalization with Israel Without Palestinian Statehood

Following U.S. President Donald Trump's submission of a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, a source close to the Saudi royal family told N12 that normalization of relations with Israel remains off the table without the establishment of a Palestinian state. The Saudi official emphasized that Riyadh's position is clear and consistent: there will be no diplomatic ties with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is established within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The source clarified that the civilian nuclear deal between Washington and Riyadh is a separate matter and should not be linked to relations with Israel. Despite the U.S. condition of normalization for the nuclear agreement, Saudi Arabia reiterated that its stance is non-negotiable. The official also noted that with the current right-wing Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and no significant change in Israel’s position on the Palestinian issue, normalization is not under consideration. Riyadh prefers to wait for the outcome of the Israeli elections and the stance of any new government on Palestinian statehood before reopening discussions on normalization.

The nuclear agreement now enters a 90-day period during which the U.S. Congress will review and debate the deal and American nuclear policy. If Congress does not reject the agreement, it will take effect at the end of this period. Given the president’s veto power and the high threshold required to override it, the chances of the agreement being blocked are very low.