Saudi Source: No Deal With Israel Under Netanyahu
A diplomat familiar with Riyadh's agenda says normalization is off the table until the Israeli Prime Minister leaves office.
By Gavin Wilson ·
The diplomatic track between Jerusalem and Riyadh remains stalled.
A source familiar with the Saudi diplomatic agenda told Israel's KAN News on Thursday that normalization between the two nations cannot happen while Benjamin Netanyahu is Prime Minister. The official stated that Saudi Arabia seeks peace and negotiations, but believes the current Israeli leadership is not ready to close the Israeli-Palestinian issue through a two-state solution. The source emphasized that the blockage is policy-based rather than personal, noting that Riyadh does not care about the specific identity of the Israeli leader. In the source's view, Netanyahu only wants to cause problems and prefers escalation over peace. As long as he holds power with his current government, the source concluded, normalization is not on the agenda.
This stance aligns with comments made by Saudi officials in the past year. In October 2025, a source from the Saudi royal family told Israel's Channel 12 that the country is willing to normalize relations only when Israel elects a different government. That source specified that the new leadership must recognize a two-state solution. The official suggested this could happen before the end of October 2026 if a new government forms and ends the Middle East crisis.
Recent diplomatic moves have reinforced this position. On October 25, two days before the Israeli elections, Saudi Arabia signed a joint statement with Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan. The declaration named Israel as the fundamental source of instability in the region and beyond. Despite the strong language, Gulf analyst Dr. Ahmed Alkhuzaie told The Jerusalem Post that Saudi Arabia has not abandoned all future interest in joining the Abraham Accords. He noted that the statement suggests the conditions for normalization have become more demanding. In his assessment, Riyadh is signaling that it will not separate relations with Israel from meaningful progress on the Palestinian file while that question remains unresolved.
