Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly told members of the US Congress that he could be assassinated for pursuing the normalisation of Israel-Saudi ties like Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat, who was killed for striking a peace deal with Israel.
Bin Salman, also known as MBS, used the instance to stress the need for any such deal to include a true path to a Palestinian state, according to a report that appeared in Politico.
However, despite the risks, MBS is intent on moving forward with the normalisation deal with the US and Israel because he sees it as crucial to his country’s future, said the report published on Wednesday citing three people briefed on the conversations. The Crown Prince also questioned the US as to what they did to save Sadat, who was shot dead by Islamic militants in 1981, two years after he signed a peace agreement with Israel.
As per the deal, the normalisation deal would include multiple US commitments to the Saudis, including security guarantees via a treaty, aid on a civilian nuclear program and economic investment in areas such as technology. Saudi Arabia could also limit its dealings with China in exchange, besides establishing diplomatic and other ties with Israel, the report added.
However, to the disappointment of MBS, Israel isn't in favour of a Palestinian state in the pact. The report added that MBS said "Saudis care deeply about this" and his tenure as the keeper of the holy sites of Islam will not be secure if he doesn't address what is the most pressing issue of justice in our region."
There were reports that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with MBS on 19 May in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, to put the finishing touches on a major US-Saudi deal. However, regional experts believe that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to oppose the Palestinians’ right to a state of their own, like much of his country, a three-way deal could not materialise.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud too had clarified that there can be no normalisation of ties with Israel without resolving the Palestinian issue. There were also reports quoting a senior Saudi official that the establishment of a Palestinian state represents an Arab and Islamic need and if it is abandoned, the kingdom will be portrayed as a traitor.
