Saudi Arabia ‘wants to join’ Abraham Accords but insists on ‘path to 2-state solution,’ MBS says in White House

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told U.S. President Donald Trump that he wants to join the Abraham Accords but insists on a path to a Palestinian state, as the Saudi de facto leader visited the White House for the first time in seven years on Tuesday.

MBS and Trump talked to reporters after the prince was received with the formality usually shown to a foreign head of state, including flag bearers on horseback and overflights by fighter jets.

It was MBS’s first visit after the years-long freeze in relations following the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, in which some reports suggested MBS was personally involved.

The visit included several topics of importance to Israel, including the possibility of Saudi Arabia, the most influential Arab country, joining the Abraham Accords; but also developments that are concerning to Israel, like the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets or the creation of a civilian nuclear program.

“We want to be part of the Abraham Accords, but we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path to a two-state solution,” MBS told reporters in the Oval Office.

“We had a healthy discussion with Mr. President that we’re going to work on that to be sure that we can prepare the right situation as soon as possible.”

Trump noted he did not want to use the word “commitment” but stressed there was “a very good talk on the Abraham Accords. We talked about one state and two-state [solution].”

He added that the issue would be discussed further in the future, emphasizing that Bin Salman has “a very good feeling toward the Abraham Accords.”

“We want peace for the Israelis, we want peace for the Palestinians. We want them to coexist peacefully in the region,” MBS affirmed.

Saudi Arabia also plays a central role in the discussions about the future of the Gaza Strip. Trump said the kingdom would contribute “a lot” of the funds needed for the reconstruction of the devastated strip.

“It is very important for him,” Trump added.

The president also confirmed his earlier statement that the U.S. would sell advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, and later announced the kingdom will also be raised to the rank of a Major non-NATO ally.

Speaking about the fighter jet sale, Trump acknowledged Israel’s concerns that it could lose its military edge but noted Israel and Saudi Arabia are both important allies.

“I know they want you to get planes of reduced caliber. I don’t think that makes you too happy,” Trump told MBS. “They are both at a level that they should get top of the line [jets],” he added.

Regarding a civilian nuclear capability for Saudi Arabia, Trump said he and MBS would discuss the issue, but noted that given the kingdom’s energy resources, this wasn’t urgent.

During MBS’s visit, the crown prince also announced his country would increase its pledge for investments in the U.S. to $1 trillion for “real investment and real opportunity.”

Among other deals, this includes a cooperation between chipmaker NVIDIA and a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund to build several “AI factories.”

This article originally appeared on ALL ARAB NEWS and is reposted with permission.