Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has reportedly decided to delay efforts towards a normalisation deal with Saudi Arabia until after the upcoming US presidential election later this year.
According to a report from Israeli outlet Channel 12, Netanyahu postponed his aims due to the rapid developments within US politics in recent months, particularly concerning US President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race and the increasing likelihood of former president Donald Trump’s re-election in November.
The Prime Minister reportedly believes it may be prudent to wait until after the US election to see if the Republican nominee, Trump, returns to office. This would give Israel a clearer vision regarding the process of pursuing the long-sought normalisation deal with the Gulf Kingdom under US mediation.
The reported decision by Netanyahu comes as the US Congress wraps up its summer session in preparation for the November election, lending more weight to the postponement. However, it contrasts with an Israeli official’s assurance last week during a Washington briefing that a normalisation agreement between Tel Aviv and Riyadh was still possible before the presidential election. The official mentioned that Netanyahu had discussed the issue with President Biden during their meeting at the White House.
According to the Times of Israel, an unnamed Palestinian official stated last week that if normalisation efforts are postponed until after the US presidential election, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman would attempt to coordinate with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas on their approaches to the US and its new administration, whether led by Trump or the current Vice President, Kamala Harris, set to take office in January next year.