Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reaffirmed that normalizing relations with Israel will only be possible if a concrete and credible roadmap toward Palestinian statehood is secured. Speaking during a high-level meeting with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, the Crown Prince made it clear that Riyadh’s participation in the Abraham Accords depends on meaningful progress toward a two-state solution.
The Crown Prince stated, “We want to be part of the Abraham Accords. But we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path of two-state solution.” He emphasized that Saudi Arabia is committed to preparing the “right situation” to ensure peace efforts can move forward.
President Trump, who has championed the Abraham Accords, pressed his guest on the matter, highlighting the prince’s “very good feeling” toward the framework. Mohammed bin Salman responded by stressing a balanced approach, saying, “We want peace for the Israelis. We want peace for the Palestinians. We want them to coexist peacefully in the region, and we will do our best to reach that date.”
The remarks underscore Riyadh’s long-standing stance: the establishment of a Palestinian state remains a non-negotiable priority. Unlike the United Arab Emirates, which normalized ties with Israel in 2020 alongside Bahrain and Morocco, Saudi Arabia has consistently insisted that full diplomatic relations with Israel are tied to Palestinian rights and sovereignty.
The stakes remain high. Saudi Arabia is not only the Middle East’s largest economy but also the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites, giving its decisions immense influence across the Arab and Islamic worlds. Normalization with Riyadh would mark a significant geopolitical shift and is widely viewed as the most consequential potential achievement of the Abraham Accords.
However, progress faces challenges. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has historically rejected a two-state solution and leads a coalition with far-right partners who openly oppose Palestinian statehood and support annexing the West Bank.
As diplomatic conversations continue, Saudi leadership signals that peace in the region cannot bypass Palestinian aspirations—and any normalization framework must begin with recognizing their path to statehood.
