Report: Israeli strikes on Iran could pave the way for Israeli-Saudi normalization

Israel’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear program, missiles, and senior military leadership will draw Israel and Saudi Arabia closer together, and could help pave the way to normalization, a new report indicates.

“Israeli action in Iran is significantly advancing an agreement for the establishment of relations with Saudi Arabia, although this should take some time,” i24 News reported, citing an anonymous “Arab source.”

Saudi leaders have repeatedly stated, however, that they would not normalize relations with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state.

While the report indicates that Saudi Arabian leaders quietly support Israel’s actions in Iran, Saudi Arabia has publicly condemned Israel’s actions.

Shortly after Israel began its strikes against Iran, Saudi Arabia became the first government to release an official condemnation of the attacks.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Israeli aggressions against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran, which undermine its sovereignty and security and constitute a clear violation of international laws and norms,” the statement said.

In the past, Saudi Arabia has been extremely critical of the Iranian regime.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) has harshly condemned Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the past.

In 2018, MBS compared Khamenei to Hitler.

“He wants to create his own project in the Middle East, very much like Hitler, who wanted to expand at the time,” MBS said. “Many countries around the world, and in Europe, did not realize how dangerous Hitler was until what happened, happened. I don’t want to see the same events happening in the Middle East.”

In early 2023, however, Saudi Arabia reestablished diplomatic relations with Iran, after having severed ties in 2016.

Speaking to Fox News host Bret Baier in the fall of 2023, MBS said that Saudi Arabia opposed Iran getting a nuclear weapon.

“We are concerned [with] any country getting a nuclear weapon,” MBS said. “That’s a bad move. You don’t need to get a nuclear weapon, because you cannot use it. Even if Iran gets a nuclear weapon – [if] any country uses a nuclear weapon, that means they are having a war with the rest of the world. The world cannot see another Hiroshima. If the world sees 100,000 people dead, that means you are in a war with the rest of the world.”