US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and normalising relations with Israel, but such a breakthrough appears unlikely during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s upcoming visit to the White House.
While Trump insists Riyadh may “very soon” join the list of Muslim nations that recognised Israel under the 2020 accords, Saudi officials have conveyed through diplomatic channels that they will only proceed once there is a credible roadmap toward Palestinian statehood. Analysts say the Crown Prince is unlikely to formalise ties without clear progress on this front.
The visit, scheduled for November 18, will be MbS’s first to Washington since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an event that strained US-Saudi relations. Observers believe he will use the meeting to press Trump for stronger American support for a sovereign Palestinian state rather than a premature deal with Israel.
For Saudi Arabia — as the birthplace of Islam and custodian of its holiest sites — recognition of Israel remains a deeply sensitive issue linked to Palestinian rights and regional stability. The kingdom’s stance is further hardened by ongoing mistrust over Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Saudi officials maintain that any regional peace initiative must include a firm, time-bound commitment to Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, international protection for Palestinians, and restoration of the Palestinian Authority’s governance — conditions they say are essential to a genuine two-state solution.
