Saudi Arabia Pursues Independent Path, Sidestepping Netanyahu's Normalization Hopes

Saudi Arabia, under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is not rushing to normalize relations with Israel, despite years of diplomatic efforts by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Kingdom continues to link normalization to the establishment of a Palestinian state, a condition that has persisted despite changing regional dynamics.

Netanyahu had long envisioned a historic agreement with Saudi Arabia as a cornerstone of a new Middle Eastern strategic bloc supported by the United States. However, Riyadh has not joined the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain in 2020. A secret meeting between Netanyahu, bin Salman, and then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in November 2020 reportedly failed to yield a breakthrough, with the Saudi side emphasizing the need to address the Palestinian issue.

According to Maariv commentator Ran Adalist, Saudi Arabia is charting its own foreign policy course, strengthening ties with countries like Pakistan and Turkey, and engaging with Iran. Recent attacks by Iran and the Houthis on regional infrastructure have highlighted the vulnerability of Gulf states, suggesting that Saudi interests are more complex than a simple anti-Iran alliance, which Netanyahu reportedly still hopes for.

Adalist notes that unofficial contacts between Israel and Saudi Arabia have a long history, dating back to the 1980s. He also points to the role of former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, whose tenure coincided with Netanyahu's focus on Iran and the U.S. Despite allowing Israeli aircraft to use its airspace, Saudi Arabia has not signed the Abraham Accords. While hopes for normalization persist in Israel, Saudi Arabia maintains its position, prioritizing its own regional interests and the Palestinian cause.