Israel official claims Israel-Saudi Arabia normalisation deal possible before US election

A top Israeli official stated today that a normalisation agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia is still possible before the US presidential election, reported the Times of Israel.

The official also noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed this issue with US President Joe Biden during their meeting yesterday at the White House.

Referring to efforts to limit Iran’s influence in the region, the Israeli official said: “If the costs are acceptable to us. It could develop there even before the elections. Israel and Saudi Arabia share a common interest.”

According to the Times of Israel, this assessment contrasts with earlier statements from American and Israeli sources earlier this month, which suggested that a deal was unlikely before the election in November.

Moreover, senior congressional sources informed the Times of Israel earlier this month that securing a deal before the election was improbable due to insufficient time for Congress to authorise the security package that Riyadh is seeking from Washington as part of the broader initiative led by the Biden administration.

While they did not entirely dismiss the possibility of a deal between the election and the inauguration of the next US president, they emphasised it was still highly unlikely. A White House official, however, stated that the opportunity to secure a deal “hasn’t closed completely.”

Read: US says ‘very close’ to deal with Saudi Arabia on bilateral aspect of Israel normalisation

Nonetheless, they acknowledged that a deal is unattainable without first reaching a ceasefire in Gaza – a condition publicly underscored by top US and Saudi officials, who recognise that Riyadh cannot domestically or regionally sell a normalisation deal if Israel’s war against Gaza continues.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Washington told the New York Times in April that the lingdom is “firm in its position towards Israel, and [that] recognition will only come after adopting an irreversible path towards the two-state solution.”

In the interview, Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al-Saud added: “Riyadh will not sign any agreement without tangible commitments that serve the Palestinian cause.” She stressed that the two-state solution must be final, clear and within a specific time frame. “Establishing relations with Israel is still within reach, but it requires a commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.”

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan said recently that the time has come to focus all efforts towards the two-state solution, including holding accountable those who stand in the way, according to Saudi TV channel Al Sharq.