Saudi Arabia Signals Aim to Join Abraham Accords, Demands Clear Path to Palestinian State
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tells President Donald Trump that Riyadh’s normalisation with Israel hinges on a two-state solution
Following a high-level meeting at the White House on 18 November 2025, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed that Saudi Arabia’s participation in the Abraham Accords will be contingent on the emergence of a credible “clear path” to a Palestinian state.
Standing beside President Donald Trump, the crown prince stated: “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.”
The Saudi leader emphasised that the kingdom wants to be part of the accords while underscoring its longstanding principle that Palestinian statehood must play a central role in wider regional normalisation.
President Trump described the talks as “very good” and indicated further discussions would follow, noting that the crown prince has “a very good feeling toward the Abraham Accords.”
This declaration occurred amid a broader U.S.–Saudi agenda encompassing defence, technology investment and regional diplomacy.
The reaffirmation of the two-state threshold advantages Washington’s mediation role and signals Riyadh’s insistence that its diplomatic step toward Israel will not bypass the Palestinian dimension.
By publicly linking Saudi normalisation to a two-state solution, the crown prince aligns his country with the Arab Peace Initiative’s framework, which historically conditioned Arab-Israeli recognition on Palestinian statehood.
Observers note the condition presents a diplomatic milestone for Israel, as successive Israeli governments have resisted formal statehood concessions for Palestinians.
The Saudi announcement thus places Jerusalem, Washington and Riyadh at a strategic juncture: Saudi Arabia is prepared to join the normalisation wave but insists that Palestinian sovereignty must remain on the table.
In the immediate term, the statement may slow the signing of any Saudi-Israel accord, yet it firmly establishes the kingdom’s red-line condition as part of any future deal.
With President Trump actively pursuing Saudi engagement in the accords and deploying investment and defence incentives, the White House meeting marks a key moment of political theatre and strategic signalling.
The kingdom’s public posture sets the tone for what will be a complex triangular diplomacy among Riyadh, Washington and Jerusalem.
Standing beside President Donald Trump, the crown prince stated: “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.”
The Saudi leader emphasised that the kingdom wants to be part of the accords while underscoring its longstanding principle that Palestinian statehood must play a central role in wider regional normalisation.
President Trump described the talks as “very good” and indicated further discussions would follow, noting that the crown prince has “a very good feeling toward the Abraham Accords.”
This declaration occurred amid a broader U.S.–Saudi agenda encompassing defence, technology investment and regional diplomacy.
The reaffirmation of the two-state threshold advantages Washington’s mediation role and signals Riyadh’s insistence that its diplomatic step toward Israel will not bypass the Palestinian dimension.
By publicly linking Saudi normalisation to a two-state solution, the crown prince aligns his country with the Arab Peace Initiative’s framework, which historically conditioned Arab-Israeli recognition on Palestinian statehood.
Observers note the condition presents a diplomatic milestone for Israel, as successive Israeli governments have resisted formal statehood concessions for Palestinians.
The Saudi announcement thus places Jerusalem, Washington and Riyadh at a strategic juncture: Saudi Arabia is prepared to join the normalisation wave but insists that Palestinian sovereignty must remain on the table.
In the immediate term, the statement may slow the signing of any Saudi-Israel accord, yet it firmly establishes the kingdom’s red-line condition as part of any future deal.
With President Trump actively pursuing Saudi engagement in the accords and deploying investment and defence incentives, the White House meeting marks a key moment of political theatre and strategic signalling.
The kingdom’s public posture sets the tone for what will be a complex triangular diplomacy among Riyadh, Washington and Jerusalem.
