Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a virtual cabinet meeting from his office in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 28, 2024. Photo: Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS

i24 News – Despite the optimism expressed by US President Donald Trump, the prospect of a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia seems to be receding. According to Saudi commentator Ali Shihabi, who is close to those in power in Riyadh, such an agreement is “virtually impossible” before the end of the year, except in the event of a “miraculous change” in Jerusalem, reports the New York Times.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who is expected in Washington soon, is likely to discuss the issue with the American president.

But according to Shihabi, MBS is conditioning any progress on an irreversible step toward the creation of a Palestinian state, a demand that is unacceptable to the current Israeli government, which is opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

For Riyadh, normalization is the last diplomatic lever in favor of the Palestinian cause. “The kingdom wants to use this card to try to resolve the issue once and for all, for the sake of lasting regional stability,” explains Shihabi.

During his stay in Washington, MBS will also focus on signing a mutual defense pact with the United States, modeled after the one recently concluded with Qatar, according to sources cited by The Times.