Saudi-Israel deal ...
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Therefore, if Saudi Arabia were truly intent on normalization in the present circumstances, it might have refrained from putting such a condition forward - namely, recognition of an independent Palestinian state. By making this demand public, it aims to send a signal to the Us to shift its pressure from Riyadh to Tel Aviv, while also aligning with Saudi public sentiment and showing solidarity with the Palestinian people. It could also be seen as an assessment of the current state of affairs within the Muslim world.
The atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza have galvanized further anti-Israel sentiment in the Muslim world, making any form of engagement with Israel highly unpopular. Even states previously apathetic toward the Palestinian cause are now compelled to fall in line with their society’s sentiments following the Israeli aggression on Gaza, as evidenced by the Turkish government reluctantly suspending economic ties with Israel. Netanyahu’s cabinet greenlit a ground assault on Rafah yesterday, a move that would significantly escalate the already complex situation.
Therefore, public opinion within countries that once had deals with Israel is now calling for a severing of ties. In such a climate, no leader in the Arab or Islamic sphere is willing to take the gamble of normalizing relations with Israel. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has additional conditions for normalization that are proving hard pills for the US and Israel to
swallow.