Mixed signals regarding Saudi normalization with Israel after Trump envoy Witkoff met with MBS

Both sides issue denials following recent Israeli report claims agreement in normalization talks

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President-elect Donald Trump’s special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, traveled to Saudi Arabia last week, where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS).

The meeting represents the first official contact since Trump won re-election in November.

Witkoff, a long-time Trump friend and confidant, is expected to oversee the Trump administration’s attempt to expand the Abraham Accords, with Saudi Arabia being the main focus.

Trump has previously said that he would like to see a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, as well as an end to the Gaza War.

According to a recent report in The Jerusalem Post, MBS told Witkoff that Saudi Arabia would consider moving forward with a normalization deal that did not include a concrete, irreversible timeline for Palestinian statehood, as long as the Gaza War ended and Israel committed to negotiations over a “pathway toward a Palestinian state.”

On Tuesday, Israeli news site Haaretz reported that Israel and Saudi Arabia had reached an agreement on the basic issues of normalization. The site claimed that Israel and the Saudis have held several negotiations recently aimed at achieving normalization and an end to the Gaza War.

According to Haaretz, the negotiations are being handled by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, while the rest of the government and security cabinet have not been informed of the terms.

The Saudi government has previously demanded that Israel recognize a Palestinian state, including in September, when Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, announced the formation of a coalition of Arab states and international organizations aimed at achieving this recognition.

However, there have been mixed reports regarding the Saudi government’s true commitment to a Palestinian State. After a report in the Atlantic claimed that MBS said he did not personally care about the Palestinian issue, the Saudi government was forced to issue a denial that the Crown Prince had made such a statement.

Since then, the Saudis have made several harsh statements against the Israeli government, including unusually direct criticism by MBS that accused Israel of committing “genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia has been a declared goal for both Republicans and the opposing administration of President Joe Biden. It also continues to be a goal for the incoming Trump administration.

Following reports of significant progress in the normalization talks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office put out a statement Tuesday evening denying that he had committed to a “path toward a Palestinian State.”

“The report about an Israeli commitment to allow 'a path toward a Palestinian state' is absolutely false,” the statement read. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acted, and is acting, against the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger the security of Israel.”

At the same time, Israeli reporter Barak Ravid posted to 𝕏, denying that any significant breakthrough had happened in the discussions.

🇸🇦🇮🇱A Saudi official told me no "breakthrough” has been achieved between Saudi Arabia and Israel regarding “normalization” of relations
🟢"The notion that the kingdom’s leadership has somehow modified its longstanding commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian…
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) December 17, 2024

Ravid quoted an anonymous Saudi official as saying, "The notion that the kingdom’s leadership has somehow modified its longstanding commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is equally baseless.”

Some Israeli analysts believe that the two countries may be delaying the announcement of a deal in order to give President Trump a big foreign policy win after his inauguration.

Trump had close relations with MBS during his previous presidency and is expected to renew discussions regarding a security arrangement with the Saudi kingdom after taking office.