Saudi Arabia Sets Conditions for Trump

Saudi Arabia has informed the United States that the recognition of a Palestinian state remains a key condition for the potential normalization of relations with Israel, a diplomatic source in Riyadh told TASS.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud is set to visit Washington on November 18, marking his first visit since 2018, for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. The main topic of the talks is expected to be the Kingdom's potential joining of the Abraham Accords, to which the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco are already parties. These agreements to normalize relations with Israel were brokered by the U.S. during Trump's first term.

The source noted that Saudi Arabia continues to refrain from normalizing relations with Israel, insisting on the recognition of an independent Palestinian state. It stated that “any agreement on normalizing relations with Israel will first require the recognition of Palestine.” The source emphasized that, if this condition is met, the normalization of relations should be included in a new comprehensive agreement involving the United States.

“The solution to this issue will not be an expansion of any existing agreement,” the agency's source noted. The primary topic of discussions in Washington is expected to be a potential defense agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Since the Kingdom does not see any willingness for concessions on recognizing Palestine from either Israel or the U.S., Saudi officials are focused on developing the terms of a limited defense agreement with Washington.

According to the source, Riyadh is trying to avoid a situation where signing a full defense agreement with the U.S. is directly linked to normalization with Israel. The connection between the defense agreement, normalization, and the issue of Palestinian statehood has effectively hindered negotiations, forcing the parties to agree to discuss a limited defense agreement in the absence of progress in the other two areas.