Trump Presses Saudi Arabia to Normalise Ties with Israel as MBS Prepares for White House Visit
President Trump urges Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to advance diplomatic relations with Israel following Gaza cease-fire deal
United States President Donald Trump contacted Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last month, urging the kingdom to move forward with normalising diplomatic ties with Israel in the wake of the Gaza cease-fire deal of October 9, senior U.S. officials say.
The call followed the joint agreement reached in Sharm El-Sheikh on October 13, where Washington, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Egypt endorsed a new peace plan for the Gaza conflict.
During the call, Trump emphasised that Washington had delivered on commitments requested by Riyadh, according to one senior official.
He reportedly conveyed: “We did all the things you asked for.
Now there are things I want you to do,” among which was the expectation that Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords.
In response, the crown prince said he would work with the White House on the matter, indicating a willingness to engage in follow-up talks.
Saudi officials, however, maintain that any formal recognition of Israel must be contingent on concrete progress toward Palestinian statehood.
Official Saudi commentary reiterated that recognition would only follow specific steps such as the return of the Palestinian Authority to a reformed governance role in Gaza and a credible pathway to an independent Palestinian state.
That stance poses a significant obstacle since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains opposed to Palestinian statehood under current conditions.
Mr President Trump and the crown prince are scheduled to meet at the White House on November 18, during which U.S.–Saudi bilateral defence, investment and diplomacy are expected to be addressed.
While normalisation is central to the U.S. agenda, Saudi Arabia is directing priority toward strengthening defence ties and major economic agreements, suggesting the kingdom may prefer to treat Israel diplomacy as a longer-term project rather than an immediate breakthrough.
With the Trump administration placing Saudi-Israeli normalisation as a strategic aim, its success will hinge not only on the White House and Riyadh but also on Israel, where political hesitancy and public sentiment stand in the way of rapid progress.
Analysts underscore that the intertwined nature of a defence pact, economic investment and diplomacy with Israel means the November visit may yield advances in security and economics even if full normalisation remains elusive this year.
The call followed the joint agreement reached in Sharm El-Sheikh on October 13, where Washington, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Egypt endorsed a new peace plan for the Gaza conflict.
During the call, Trump emphasised that Washington had delivered on commitments requested by Riyadh, according to one senior official.
He reportedly conveyed: “We did all the things you asked for.
Now there are things I want you to do,” among which was the expectation that Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords.
In response, the crown prince said he would work with the White House on the matter, indicating a willingness to engage in follow-up talks.
Saudi officials, however, maintain that any formal recognition of Israel must be contingent on concrete progress toward Palestinian statehood.
Official Saudi commentary reiterated that recognition would only follow specific steps such as the return of the Palestinian Authority to a reformed governance role in Gaza and a credible pathway to an independent Palestinian state.
That stance poses a significant obstacle since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains opposed to Palestinian statehood under current conditions.
Mr President Trump and the crown prince are scheduled to meet at the White House on November 18, during which U.S.–Saudi bilateral defence, investment and diplomacy are expected to be addressed.
While normalisation is central to the U.S. agenda, Saudi Arabia is directing priority toward strengthening defence ties and major economic agreements, suggesting the kingdom may prefer to treat Israel diplomacy as a longer-term project rather than an immediate breakthrough.
With the Trump administration placing Saudi-Israeli normalisation as a strategic aim, its success will hinge not only on the White House and Riyadh but also on Israel, where political hesitancy and public sentiment stand in the way of rapid progress.
Analysts underscore that the intertwined nature of a defence pact, economic investment and diplomacy with Israel means the November visit may yield advances in security and economics even if full normalisation remains elusive this year.
