Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has reportedly expressed concerns about his safety as he advocates for normalization of ties with Israel. A column by Politico’s senior foreign affairs correspondent, Nahal Toosi, highlighted that anonymous sources revealed MBS had discussed these threats with members of the US Congress.
In light of these dangers, Mohammed bin Salman emphasized the necessity of including an immediate pathway to Palestinian statehood in any normalization deal. This component has faced resistance from Israel, which, while supportive of Saudi normalization, has been reluctant to embrace the Palestinian statehood issue.
According to Toosi, the Crown Prince indicated to Congress that his push for a significant agreement with the US and Israel, one that includes the normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations, puts his life at risk. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has intensified anger among Arab nations toward Israel, making MBS’s position even more precarious.
Toosi characterized Mohammed bin Salman’s narrative as a strategic diplomatic tactic, suggesting that he is leveraging the threat to his life to encourage US officials to apply pressure on Israel to reach a deal favorable to him. She noted that framing the situation this way is an effective method to capture the attention of US leaders, and while it may serve a political purpose, it is likely also rooted in reality.
Prior to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, the triad deal was a priority for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, the subsequent conflict pushed the agreement to the background. President Joe Biden has been keen to secure a ceasefire in Gaza as a means of advancing the normalization agreement before the November 4 elections.
Despite the potential for passing such a deal in the current Senate, the ongoing war with Hamas and Hezbollah complicates the situation. During his address to the US Congress on July 24, Netanyahu did not mention the Saudi deal, although he did discuss it with Biden the following day.
