US President Donald Trump is making a push to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting Washington this week. The deal aims to bring major gains for US national security interests but faces significant challenges.
Several conditions must be met before the agreement can become viable. First, the Gaza ceasefire needs to hold, and advance to its second phase. This would secure the release of remaining live Israeli hostages and demonstrate a commitment to Palestinian statehood in the West Bank and Gaza.
However, Netanyahu has already lost one far-right coalition partner over the deal, and another is threatening to leave the government if phase two occurs. Trump will insist that Netanyahu deliver on this.
The Israelis are also concerned about the potential destabilizing effects of such population relocations on key Arab partners, Egypt and Jordan. On the other hand, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman requires a credible pathway to some form of Palestinian statehood in the West Bank and Gaza for normalization to proceed.
A proposed sequence that Trump and Netanyahu should discuss includes locking in the second phase of the hostage deal, taking Israeli voters on board with the prospect of a Saudi normalization deal, and preparing for a US-Saudi security treaty vote in late 2025. This approach may require strategic patience but could ultimately lead to a successful agreement.
Source: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/israeli-saudi-normalization-is-within-reach-heres-what-trump-and-netanyahu-need-to-do-next