Shortly before the Israel-Hamas war, a peace agreement was in the works between Israel and Saudi Arabia. A trilateral agreement similar to the Abraham Accords was supposed to be brokered by the U.S. and all sides had an interest in flourishing business relations.
“The thinking was that greater integration and commercial connectivity would reduce regional tensions,” said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House.
“I don’t think the current Israeli government can conduct serious negotiations with Saudi Arabia, if a peace with Saudi would require serious concessions by Israel on the Palestinian front,” said Amnon Aran, professor of international politics at City, University of London.
Has the war indefinitely derailed normalization efforts in the Middle East? Will Saudi Arabia prioritize its partnership with Washington or the Palestinian cause?