Riyadh

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly informed his aides that he is hesitant to fully normalise ties with Israel and is not enthusiastic about reaching an agreement with the current leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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US efforts to normalise Israel-Saudi ties

The US officials have said that they support incremental measures to bring Israel and Saudi Arabia towards normalisation of ties, Wall Street Journal reported.

Also watch | Saudi-Israel rapprochement possible?

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The report said that Riyadh might only be open to intermediate steps and that Saudis are not inclined to pursue a comprehensive accord similar to the one Israel established with the United Arab Emirates in 2020.

What does it mean?

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The Wall Street Journal report pointed out the purported challenges posed by opponents of Palestinian sovereignty within Netanyahu's government, who obstruct efforts for normalisation. 

Also read | Iran, Saudi Arabia restore ties as China-brokered deal outfoxes West

This is due to their resistance to significant actions required for a two-state solution revival. The report marks the first time Riyadh has expressed unease about forming any form of agreement with the present coalition.

MBS' mixed messages: WSJ

The Wall Street Journal report notes that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, colloquially known as MBS, has conveyed mixed messages to different bilateral partners. 

Nonetheless, the US officials maintain their belief that he is genuinely committed to reaching an agreement.

Saudi-Israel rapprochement: Potential outline

According to the report, US and Saudi officials have outlined broad terms for a potential Israel-Saudi deal, including significant security assurances from the US to Saudi Arabia, substantial efforts by Riyadh to distance itself from China, and substantial Israeli measures toward the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

US officials have indicated that specific details will ideally be negotiated over the next nine to 12 months, although they have refrained from suggesting that a finalised deal would be signed within that timeframe.

White House denies WSJ report

The White House has reportedly denied the report. 

"There is no agreed to set of negotiations, there’s no there’s no agreed to framework to codify normalisation or any of the other security considerations that we and our friends have in the region," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said in response to a question on the matter during a phone briefing with reporters, The Times of Israel reported.

"The reporting has left some people with the impression that the discussions are farther along and closer to some sense of certainty than they actually are," he added.

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