Saudi Source: Israel Normalization Paused Until Netanyahu Leaves Power
Riyadh links diplomatic progress to a two-state solution and a change in the Israeli government.
By Harper Collins ·
A source familiar with Saudi diplomatic strategy stated on Thursday that normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia will not proceed while Benjamin Netanyahu serves as prime minister. The source spoke to KAN News and described the delay as a matter of policy alignment rather than a personal dispute.
The official said Saudi Arabia seeks peace and negotiations, with the goal of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a two-state solution. "But Netanyahu is not there," the source said. The source added that Riyadh is not focused on the specific identity of the Israeli leader. "Netanyahu, in our view, only wants to cause problems. He does not want peace; he wants escalation," the source said.
The source concluded that normalization is off the agenda as long as Netanyahu leads the current government. This position echoes previous statements from Riyadh. In October 2025, a source from the Saudi royal family told Israel's Channel 12 that the country is prepared to normalize relations only after Israel elects a new government that accepts a two-state solution. That source suggested a new government could be formed by the end of October 2026, which would be more than a year from the time of the comment.
Saudi Arabia has recently taken steps to signal its stance on regional stability. On October 25, two days before the Israeli elections, the country signed a joint statement with Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan. The document identified Israel as the fundamental source of instability in the region and beyond. Gulf analyst Dr. Ahmed Alkhuzaie noted that this statement does not rule out the Abraham Accords, but it raises the conditions for joining them.
Dr. Alkhuzaie said the political and diplomatic requirements for normalization have become more demanding. He explained that the statement reinforces the message that Riyadh is unlikely to separate relations with Israel from meaningful progress on the Palestinian file. In effect, the analyst said Saudi Arabia is signaling that normalization can no longer be advanced solely through strategic, economic, or security calculations while the Palestinian question remains unresolved.
The source speaking to KAN News reiterated that the current alignment of governments prevents the process from moving forward. The statement provides a clear timeline for when Riyadh expects conditions to change, linking diplomatic progress directly to the outcome of the recent Israeli elections and the formation of a new cabinet.
