ISLAMABAD: Israel is increasingly doubtful it can normalize relations with Saudi Arabia any time soon, dismayed by what it sees as hostile moves by the kingdom to expand its defense ties and confront the United Arab Emirates, an Israeli ally, the Bloomberg reported.
Israeli officials are weighing whether the shifts are temporary or Saudi Arabia is permanently redrawing the balance of power in the region in a way that would make normalization impossible. While little has been said publicly inside Israel, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an Israeli diplomat both said the concern is real. Both asked not to be identified discussing what a sensitive subject is.
From Israel’s perspective, “MBS has withdrawn completely from the idea of normalization,” said Oded Ailam, a former Israeli intelligence officer and researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, referring to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler. “The Saudis are in a delicate phase and putting their finger to the wind. It’s a huge setback for Israel.”
Saudi Arabia signed a defense alliance with nuclear-armed Pakistan in September, and Turkey confirmed last month that it was in talks to join the regional pact. Simultaneously, tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE erupted into the open in December when the kingdom gave Emirati forces 24 hours to withdraw from Yemen. Saudi media has since escalated the rhetoric against its neighbor, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020.
While Saudi commentators agree the kingdom’s stance has shifted, they disagree with the Israeli interpretation of the causes. They point instead to a clash of Saudi and Emirati foreign policy objectives in countries such as Somalia, Yemen and Sudan, and what they perceive to be Israel’s support for the UAE.
“Riyadh is trying to stabilize those fragile states,” said Ali Shihabi, a Saudi author and commentator. “That’s the core of the tension.” Saudi Arabia “remains open to normalization with Israel provided a path to Palestinian statehood is assured,” the government said in a statement. “Rejecting the two-state solution undermines this historic opportunity and perpetuates the conditions for continued violence and suffering.”
A spokesman for the UAE government said the nation’s policy is guided by respect for the sovereignty of all countries and peaceful coexistence. Israeli officials didn’t respond to requests for comment.
