Saudi warns 'Israel' annexation may derail Arab normalization: Reports
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Saudi Arabia reportedly cautioned “Israel” that annexing the Jordan Valley or West Bank land could end Arab normalization and harm regional normalization accords.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit the Western Wall Tunnels, in occupied al-Quds' Old City, Sunday, September 14, 2025 (AP)
Saudi Arabia has reportedly sent a confidential message to “Israel” warning that any move to annex territory in the occupied West Bank, including the Jordan Valley, would shut the door on normalization with Arab states and could affect the so-called Abraham Accords, according to a report aired Sunday by Channel 12.
The message, described as highly sensitive, also cautioned that annexation could prompt economic measures, “such as closing airspace,” the Israeli channel said.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 quoted a source close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying that “the issue of applying sovereignty in the Jordan Valley will be discussed with US President Donald Trump.”
Diplomatic sources cited by the channels said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had given a “green light” to move forward during his recent visit, with a final decision expected after Netanyahu meets Trump.
Annexation could destroy so-called 'peace' process
Israeli Channel 12 also reported that senior European officials warned their Israeli counterparts that any attempt to annex land, especially amid growing recognition of a Palestinian state, “could destroy what has been built in the Middle East in terms of peace agreements.”
The reported Saudi warning comes as debate intensifies within the Israeli occupation over a long-standing plan to extend sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and parts of the West Bank, a proposal repeatedly floated by Netanyahu, particularly during election campaigns.
The controversy coincides with a wave of formal recognitions of the State of Palestine by several Western countries, making any annexation step more politically fraught on the international stage.
UAE may downgrade ties with 'Israel'
Reuters reported on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates is weighing a downgrade in its relations with "Israel" if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government proceeds with annexing all or parts of the occupied West Bank, according to three people familiar with Abu Dhabi's internal discussions.
The UAE is one of the few Arab states to have normalized ties with "Israel," and any rollback would mark a serious blow to the "Abraham Accords", the 2020 US-brokered deal hailed as a foreign policy victory for both Donald Trump and Netanyahu.
"Israel's" recent policy steps have fueled concerns that annexation may soon be on the agenda. The territory, captured in the 1967 war alongside East al-Quds, remains regarded by the United Nations and most countries as illegally occupied.
For Netanyahu, whose coalition depends on extremist factions, annexation could serve as a rallying issue before elections expected next year. Abu Dhabi has already warned that such a move would cross a "red line."
The sources indicated that while a complete rupture is not being considered, measures such as withdrawing the ambassador are on the table.
