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Will Israel and Saudi Arabia Normalize Relations During Donald Trump's Second Presidency?

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Last Updated 10 months ago

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

thenewyorktimes

Aryeh Lightstone"[P]eace will happen [between Israel and Saudi Arabia]."

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."

Donald Trump"I think Saudi Arabia will end up being in the Abraham accords. ... Soon. Not a very long way."

Boaz BismuthTrump will be the best person to bring about a "new Middle East."

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."

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."

Muhammad Al-Isa"The incoming administration has opportunities… more than others, given its relationship [with the Israeli government]."

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."

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."

Elham Fakhro"Normalization with Saudi Arabia is far from a done deal, and I think US officials have been overly-optimistic."

Neil Quilliam"[T]he environment has changed completely since his first presidency, making the prospect of success practically zero."

Rob Greenway"I think it'll happen."

Yechiel Leiter"[W]e are on the cusp of a major breakthrough [in normalizing Israel-Saudi Arabia relations]."Jan 28, 2025

thejerusalempost

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."

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."

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."

Muhammad Al-Isa"There will be no relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel without an independent Palestinian state, with its capital as East Jerusalem."

F. Gregory Gause, III"At present, however, pressing the Saudis to join the Abraham Accords is likely to be a fool's errand."

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."