Reuters: Saudi Arabia continues to reject normalization of relations with Israel.

Reuters: Saudi Arabia continues to reject normalization of relations with Israel.

US President Donald Trump has hinted that Saudi Arabia may agree to normalise relations with Israel, but it is unlikely to happen during a visit by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington this month.

Establishing diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel after decades of hostility could change the political and security equations in the Middle East and strengthen US influence in the region.

Trump last month expressed hope that Saudi Arabia would join the Abraham Accords “soon” – agreements signed in 2020 with the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco.

But two Saudi sources told Reuters that Riyadh had informed Washington through diplomatic channels that its position on the matter had not changed and would only join the process if a clear roadmap for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state was agreed.

One of the sources said the Saudis wanted to avoid misunderstandings and coordinate fully with the US before any public announcement.

According to Jonathan Panikoff, a former US national intelligence official for the Middle East, the Saudi crown prince will likely try to persuade Trump to more openly support the establishment of a Palestinian state during the upcoming meeting.

Saudi sources have stressed that despite Trump’s push for normalization, in the absence of a real prospect for the establishment of a Palestinian state and with the staunch opposition of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, no progress is possible on this front.

The Saudis say the main agenda of the meeting between bin Salman and Trump will focus on military cooperation and investment. The two sides are expected to sign an agreement that will define a new framework for US military support for Saudi Arabia and consolidate Washington’s military presence in the Persian Gulf.