Saudi Arabia has reportedly eased its stance on Palestinian statehood as a precondition for normalizing relations with Israel, multiple sources with knowledge of the negotiations told The Jerusalem Post.
The kingdom is now primarily focused on securing an end to the Gaza conflict and seeking a broader, less defined commitment to Palestinian aspirations, rather than demanding concrete guarantees of statehood, according to senior diplomatic sources involved in the discussions.
This marked change in position emerged during recent high-level talks between Saudi officials and representatives close to President-elect Donald Trump's transition team, including incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The conversations signal a potential breakthrough in the long-standing effort to establish formal ties between the two nations.
The shift represents a dramatic departure from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's position just weeks ago, when he took a notably harder line on Israeli military operations in Gaza. However, regional experts caution that the adjusted stance doesn't indicate Saudi Arabia has abandoned its support for Palestinian aspirations.
Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing negotiations, confirmed to Haaretz that substantial progress has been made in recent talks. However, they emphasized that several key issues remain unresolved.
The potential breakthrough comes as the Biden administration prepares to hand over to Trump's team, raising questions about the continuity of U.S. mediation efforts in the normalization process. The incoming administration has signaled strong support for expanding the Abraham Accords, the framework that has already brought several Arab states into formal relationships with Israel.
Regional analysts suggest this development could trigger a domino effect among other Arab nations still maintaining distance from Israel. However, they emphasize that the success of any agreement will ultimately depend on developments in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As these discussions continue, both Saudi and Israeli officials have maintained public silence.
YWN contributed to this article.
