Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shared with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken his perspective on the “Palestinian issue”, indicating his personal detachment but recognizing its significance to his people. In a reported meeting in January in Saudi Arabia, discussions surrounded the potential normalization of relations with Israel amidst the Israeli-Gaza conflict.
While the Crown Prince expressed a desire for calm in Gaza, he made it clear that a normalization deal would not precede concrete progress towards a Palestinian state. Noting potential risks involved, he drew parallels with the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat post his peace accord with Israel.
Despite widespread Saudi sentiment favoring the severance of ties with Israel, recent crackdowns on acts of Palestinian solidarity indicate a complex internal stance. Senior Saudi royal Prince Turki al-Faisal affirmed strong support for Palestine within the kingdom, highlighting a lack of official normalization discussions due to Israel’s stance on Palestinian statehood.
As speculation arose regarding Hamas’s motives in the Israeli conflict, Prince Turki dismissed claims of sabotage towards Saudi-Israeli relations, pointing to logistical limitations on launching such campaigns on short notice.