Saudi Arabia says Palestinian statehood is essential for relations with Israel

As Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) prepares for his visit to the White House, speculation about Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel has intensified. Yet Riyadh insists that any such agreement will only follow a concrete roadmap toward the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

The long-discussed possibility of Saudi Arabia establishing diplomatic ties with Israel, a move that could redefine Middle Eastern geopolitics, remains uncertain ahead of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s trip to Washington this month.

Despite growing international anticipation, Saudi officials have reiterated that normalization will not proceed without credible progress on Palestinian statehood. 

According to Reuters, such a breakthrough could significantly reshape the region’s political and security order while enhancing US influence.

President Donald Trump has voiced optimism, expressing hope that Riyadh would soon join the 2020 Abraham Accords, under which the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco recognized Israel. Yet, Gulf diplomats confirm that Saudi Arabia’s stance remains unchanged: normalization is conditional on tangible steps toward establishing a Palestinian state.

Behind closed doors, both Washington and Riyadh are treading carefully to avoid diplomatic missteps before the White House talks on November 18.

Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the two sides aim to present a unified front during and after the meeting. Jonathan Panikoff, a former US intelligence official now at the Atlantic Council, said that MBS would not advance formal ties with Israel “until there is a credible path to the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

Analysts suggest that the Saudi leader may also use his visit to push for stronger American backing for Palestinian sovereignty and broader Middle East stability.

This visit marks MBS’s first to Washington since 2018, following the global backlash over journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. While Trump has promoted the expansion of the Abraham Accords, Saudi Arabia’s position differs significantly from those of its Gulf neighbors.

As the guardian of Islam’s two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, Riyadh faces immense religious and political pressure to ensure that any diplomatic move aligns with public sentiment, which remains deeply sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. 

Saudi officials have laid out their vision for regional peace, calling for a time bound Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the deployment of an international peacekeeping force, and the restoration of Palestinian Authority governance. These steps, they argue, are essential for realizing a two-state solution.

Meanwhile, Saudi and US officials are expected to focus on defense and economic cooperation during the upcoming talks. Both sides are reportedly close to finalizing a limited defense agreement, modeled on a recent US-Qatar deal, to boost collaboration in security and advanced technologies.