The unattainable dreams of bin Salman and Trump.
The Daily Telegraph, referring to the signing of the Abraham Accords in late summer 2020, wrote that the pact remains the main achievement of Trump’s foreign policy, normalizing relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, and paving the way for Israel’s involvement in the region.
Saudi Arabia also seemed ready to join the agreement, opening a new chapter in Israel’s turbulent relations with its Muslim neighbors, without making concessions to the Palestinians. But Israel’s war in Gaza dashed such hopes.
Polls show that 96 percent of Saudis oppose normalizing relations. Even in an absolute monarchy, such widespread sentiments cannot be ignored.
Late last year, Mohammed bin Salman declared that there would be no deal with Israel without a “credible path” for the creation of a Palestinian state. Despite Riyadh’s opposition, Trump seems to think the Saudis can be swayed.
The crown prince, on the other hand, will not be able to get everything he wants from Trump at today’s meeting. The US president will not be able to offer Saudi Arabia a NATO-style defense pact. Such a pact would require congressional approval, but bipartisan reservations about binding commitments to a country still tainted by its human rights record and regional instability rule that out.