U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) at the White House next week. This high-profile meeting is making headlines as it is revealed that Trump urged MBS last month to normalize relations with Israel. This phone conversation between the two leaders occurred after the October 9 Gaza ceasefire agreement.
According to a report published Thursday by the U.S. news website Axios, citing two American officials, the conversation took place on October 13 after the Sharm El-Sheikh peace conference. During this conference, Trump and leaders from mediating countries—Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt—signed a Gaza peace plan.
During the call, Trump stated that he was successful in ending the war in Gaza and hoped that Saudi Arabia will move toward full diplomatic relations with Israel. According to an American official, Crown Prince Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, expressed his willingness to work with the White House on this matter.
Reports before October 7, 2023, had indicated that Saudi Arabia was on the verge of normalizing its relations with Israel. However, the situation shifted after the Gaza war, and domestic pressure on MBS to distance from Israel increased.
MBS has stated that Saudi Arabia will not establish relations with Israel until a clear path is paved for the Palestinian nation. However, Netanyahu has been a staunch opponent of a Palestinian nation.
Trump's Gaza peace plan lacks clarity about the Palestinian nation. It merely states that once reforms are made in the Palestinian Authority (PA) and reconstruction progresses in a demilitarized Gaza Strip, a "credible path to self-determination and statehood for Palestinians" may emerge.
A senior American official stated, 'Our message to the Saudis is clear - we have done everything you asked. Now President Trump wants you to normalize relations with Israel. So, how do you plan to move forward in this direction?'
Other sources indicated that Saudi Arabia would only proceed if Israel demonstrates its commitment to the Palestinian nation.
A former U.S. official close to the Saudi monarchy mentioned that following the Gaza war, anti-Israel sentiment in Saudi Arabia has increased. Considering this, if Israel seeks good relations with Saudi Arabia, it must provide strong assurances to MBS regarding the Palestinian nation.
The revelation of the phone call between Trump and MBS comes at a time when the two leaders are set to meet at the White House next week. American officials stated that while U.S.-Saudi normalization talks are ongoing, it is unclear if MBS's visit to the U.S. will yield any major breakthroughs.
Saudi officials desire the meeting's focus to remain on defense cooperation and investment but fear that the politically sensitive issue of normalization with Israel might dominate the agenda.
