Controversy
Status:Open
Will Israel and Saudi Arabia Normalize Relations During Donald Trump's Second Presidency?
UNLIKELYLIKELY
Claims
Bezalel Smotrich"If normalization with Saudi Arabia depends on progress toward a Palestinian state even by a millimeter, it won't happen."Feb 07, 2025
Prince Faisal bin Farhan"I would say certainly normalization with [Israel] is not just at risk. It is off the table until we have a resolution to Palestinian statehood."Nov 01, 2024
Donald Trump"I think Saudi Arabia will end up being in the Abraham accords. ... Soon. Not a very long way."Feb 04, 2025
Emad Mekay"It looks most likely that he [Jared Kushner] will be successful in bringing the Israelis closer to the Saudis, not to the Palestinians."Feb 09, 2025
The Saudi Foreign Ministry"Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that."Feb 05, 2025
Muhammad Al-Isa"The incoming administration has opportunities… more than others, given its relationship [with the Israeli government]."Dec 13, 2024
F. Gregory Gause, III"The changes in the region also make it less likely that Saudi Arabia will agree to join the Abraham Accords and extend diplomatic recognition to Israel."Jan 15, 2025
Rob Greenway"[W]e've had decades, generations of cooperation with Saudi Arabia, as we have with Israel, and that puts President Trump in a unique position to be able to broker the inevitable peace between the two."Dec 15, 2024
Elham Fakhro"Normalization with Saudi Arabia is far from a done deal, and I think US officials have been overly-optimistic."Dec 13, 2024
Neil Quilliam"[T]he environment has changed completely since his first presidency, making the prospect of success practically zero."Nov 20, 2024
Yechiel Leiter"[W]e are on the cusp of a major breakthrough [in normalizing Israel-Saudi Arabia relations]."Jan 28, 2025
Giorgio Cafiero"Regardless of whether Harris or Trump wins this year's presidential election, I don't expect Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel at any point in the foreseeable future."Nov 01, 2024
Robert Mogielnicki"There is little reason to think Israel will rush into a normalization agreement that necessitates a clear roadmap toward a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the creation of a Palestinian state."Jan 27, 2025
Firas MaksadFor the Saudis, “a credible, time-bound, and non-reversible pathway towards the creation of a Palestinian state remains the minimal prerequisite for normalisation with Israel."Feb 09, 2025
Muhammad Al-Isa"There will be no relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel without an independent Palestinian state, with its capital as East Jerusalem."Dec 13, 2024
F. Gregory Gause, III"At present, however, pressing the Saudis to join the Abraham Accords is likely to be a fool's errand."Jan 15, 2025
Neil Quilliam"Saudi Arabia is his main target [for the Abraham Accords] but Riyadh will resist unless Trump commits to a long-term project of creating a Palestinian state."Nov 08, 2024
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