Why Won’t Saudi MBS Normalize With Israel?

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been telling US lawmakers that he is at risk of assassination due to his pursuit of a normalization agreement with the occupation state of Israel and the United States, drawing parallels to Egypt’s Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated after normalizing ties with Israel, according to the Politico.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has reportedly told visiting US Congress members that he fears being assassinated if he agrees to normalisation with Israel.

Politico reported that Bin Salman has recently expressed many concerns and doubts about agreeing to normalisation… pic.twitter.com/qQR9d3bV8u

— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) August 15, 2024

MBS has reportedly emphasized that any agreement must include a credible path to Palestinian statehood, a demand he argues is crucial for regional stability and his own survival. He has pointed out that without addressing the Palestinian issue, the proposed benefits of the deal—such as security guarantees and economic investments—would be compromised according to the Quds News Network.

The ongoing genocide in Gaza has heightened Arab outrage against Israel, making the Palestinian cause even more central to MBS’s concerns.

MBS is Talking About An Assassination. His Own. ‘The Saudi royal has mentioned to members of Congress that he’s putting his life in danger by pursuing a grand bargain with the U.S. and Israel that includes normalizing Saudi-Israeli ties’. https://t.co/ywVTmMuP3i

— Maryam Aldossari (@maryam_dh) August 15, 2024

Despite this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government remain opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, complicating the path to a deal.