Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Trump cancels Putin meeting, says "didn't feel right"
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Caracas: The United States attacks another alleged drug-trafficking ship off the coast of Colombia in the Pacific Ocean
Palestinian official urges world to force 'Israel' to comply with ICJ ruling: AFP
Israeli media says Knesset approved bill to annex in West Bank in preliminary reading
Kremlin: As part of strategic nuclear force exercise, Cruiser Bryansk launched Sineva ballistic missile from Barents Sea.
Kremlin: Yars Intercontinental Ballistic Missile launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome at Kura test site in Kamchatka.
Kremlin: Strategic nuclear forces exercise took place under Putin's leadership.
Lebanese MP Imad Al-Hout, following his meeting with the Grand Mufti of the Republic: Lebanon is the last country to move toward peace and normalization [with "Israel"]
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One martyr reported in Israeli drone strike targeting motorcycle in Ain Qana.
Israeli media: Sirens sound in Nahal Oz settlement in Gaza Envelope.

Saudi Arabia unwilling to normalize ties at present: Israeli media

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Israeli media
  • 20 May 2023 00:15
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

Israeli media say Saudi Arabia will not hand US President Joe Biden the "gift" of normalizing ties with "Israel".

  • x
  • In this photo provided by Saudi Press Agency, SPA, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, May 19, 2023. (AP)
    In this photo provided by Saudi Press Agency, SPA, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, May 19, 2023. (AP)

Israeli media reported, on Friday, that Saudi Arabia does not "want peace with Israel now," adding that "it's time we [Israel] get the hint."

According to Maariv, while it appears that "prospects for peace" between "Israel" and Saudi Arabia remain unchanged, it is "difficult to see a breakthrough in the Saudi channel anytime soon."

According to the outlet, "Israel" would, at this point, be surprised if Saudi Arabia agreed to "warm relations with Israel" anytime soon, not only because of the "Saudi reservations" against the entity but mainly "because of the Americans."

According to Maariv, Saudi Arabia, as a US ally, has expected to receive, at the very least, capabilities that would allow it to compete with Iran. 

Riyadh has been, for years, requesting a "greenlight for a nuclear program for peaceful purposes," however, the US has avoided the topic for just as long. As such, Israeli media wrote that Saudi Arabia had "no choice but to fall into the arms of Iran and China."

Moreover, the outlet claimed that given that the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran remained in its early stages and given that there "is a lot of suspicion between them," Saudi Arabia will not seek to sign a normalization agreement with "Israel" fearing that doing so could "disappoint" Tehran and destabilize their relations once again.

Related News

Netanyahu falsely promoting Gaza deal as achievement: Israeli media

Israeli Media: Netanyahu's path mirrors South Africa's apartheid

However, even if Saudi Arabia was not bound by this new rapprochement, Maariv argued, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman would still "not rush to give President Biden this wonderful gift," especially in the "absence of the nuclear package."

Israeli media reaffirmed that "basically, Israel is a plaything in the hands of the Saudis," and as the relationship between Riyadh and Washington remains "cold", the prospect for normalization diminishes.

Saudi leverages Netanyahu normalization ambitions for US agreements

Earlier, in March, the New York Times published a report arguing that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has outlined a very high price in exchange for normalizing ties with "Israel", given that the Kingdom has little to gain from openly normalizing ties with "Israel" since they already have undeclared agreements that range from shared intelligence to state-of-the-art spyware.

In exchange for normalization, KSA, as outlined by the NYT report, made three primary demands: security guarantees from the US, assistance with developing a civilian nuclear program, and reduced restrictions on US arms sales.

The former US Ambassador to "Israel" during the Clinton era, Martin Indyk, said, “It’s [list of demands] interesting for a number of reasons." Indyk explained that while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government challenged the US Biden administration, the Israeli PM can't get what he "badly" wants on his own, "he can only get it with Biden’s help."

Moreover, Indyk said, “That creates a situation where Biden has leverage over Netanyahu to persuade him that nothing good can happen with Saudi Arabia if he allows the situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to explode.”

Read more: Arab League returned to Syria, not other way around: Israeli media

  • Israeli Media
  • Normalization agreements
  • Palestine
  • Normalization with Israel
  • Israel
  • US
  • Normalizing ties with Israel
  • Saudi Arabia

Most Read

Yemeni Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari , during a ceremony in an undisclosed locations in Yemen, undate (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemeni Armed Forces mourn martyred Chief of Staff al-Ghamari

  • Politics
  • 16 Oct 2025
From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
Smoke and fire rises after 'Israel' launched airstrikes on the village of Ansar, Lebanon, October 16, 2025 (social media)

'Israel' launches two waves of brutal strikes on east, south Lebanon

  • Politics
  • 16 Oct 2025
A woman with her purchased groceries walks out from an underground market, in Beijing, Wednesday, August 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Global brands in China face pressure from rising local rivals

  • Economy
  • 17 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Pro-Palestinian activists protest at Lafayette Park across from the White House to mark the approaching one year anniversary of the Israeli war on Gaza, Saturday, October 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Arts and Culture

Jewish figures calls for sanctions on 'Israel' over Gaza genocide

Activists from the Foreign Press Association during a panel calling for press freedom in Gaza, April 11, 2025 in London, England. (X/ @FPALondon)
Politics

FPA demands Israeli court to allow int'l journalists access to Gaza

Matsapha Correctional Complex is seen in Matsapha, near Mbabane, Eswatini, Thursday July 17, 2025. (AP Photo)
Politics

Cuban man deported from US to Eswatini launches hunger strike

Russia President Vladimir Putin conducts a strategic nuclear forces exercise via videoconference from the Presidential Situation Centre at the Kremlin in Moscow, on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Politics

Putin oversees ICBM, cruise missile tests in strategic nuclear drill

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS