Saudi Crown Prince rejects Trump’s push for Israel normalisation: Reports

Washington: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has rejected a US proposal to advance normalisation with Israel, insisting that Riyadh will not join the Abraham Accords without a credible and time-bound pathway to Palestinian statehood, according to report by Axios and Israeli media.

The matter was raised during the Crown Prince’s November 18 meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.

US officials told Axios that the administration had anticipated progress on the issue, but the discussion became strained when Trump urged Saudi Arabia to sign onto the accords. Mohammed bin Salman responded that the Kingdom’s position remains unchanged: any agreement must be tied to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Sources described the Crown Prince as firm and composed, saying he “stood his ground” despite repeated pressure. A senior US official said Trump left the meeting “disappointed,” although Mohammed bin Salman did not rule out normalisation in the future.

Israeli Channel 12 reported that the Crown Prince cited strong public opposition in Saudi Arabia following the Gaza war, noting that the Kingdom could not proceed while sentiment remains overwhelmingly against Israel. He reiterated that Palestinian statehood based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is a non-negotiable prerequisite.

The Crown Prince publicly reaffirmed this stance during their joint appearance in Washington, stressing that any durable peace in the Middle East requires a clear and enforceable two-state solution. His position aligns with Riyadh’s long-standing approach to the conflict and its insistence on a just resolution for the Palestinian people.

During their public remarks in Washington, Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed that lasting regional stability requires an enforceable two-state solution, a position consistent with Riyadh’s long-standing diplomatic stance.

Beyond the normalisation issue, the leaders discussed defence and economic cooperation, including potential access to US F-35 fighter jets and major Saudi investment initiatives. However, no progress was made on US efforts to secure Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords

The trip marked the Crown Prince’s first working visit to Washington since 2018. He travelled on the instruction of King Salman and at the invitation of the US President, spending three days in the American capital, according to a statement from the Saudi Royal Court.