Saudi officials express doubt about normalization with Israel's next premier

Senior Saudi sources and a source familiar with the Saudi agenda say normalization with Israel is unlikely under the next prime minister, citing policy differences on Palestinian statehood and criticism of Israel's Iran strategy.

A source familiar with the Saudi diplomatic agenda told Israel's KAN News on Thursday that normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia cannot happen while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power. The source said Saudi Arabia wants peace, negotiations, and for the Israeli-Palestinian issue to be closed via a two-state solution, but Netanyahu is not there. The source emphasized that the issue is policy-based rather than personal, stating that the Gulf nation has no interest in the identity of the Israeli prime minister, but views Netanyahu as wanting to cause problems and escalate conflict. The source concluded that as long as Netanyahu is in power with the current government, normalization is not on the agenda. The report notes that Saudi Arabia has made similar statements before, including in October 2025 when a Saudi royal-family source told Israel's Channel 12 that the country is willing to normalize relations when Israel has a different government that accepts a two-state solution. The article also includes analysis from Gulf expert Dr. Ahmed Alkhuzaie, who said that Saudi Arabia's recent joint statement with Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan blaming Israel for instability does not rule out future interest in the Abraham Accords, but signals that normalization cannot be separated from progress on the Palestinian issue.