Trump urges Saudi Crown Prince MBS to advance Israel normalization, signaling a new Abraham Accords breakthrough as Washington prepares major security offers.
US President Donald Trump has directly urged Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to move forward on normalization with Israel, Axios revealed Thursday—exposing a previously undisclosed call that could reshape Middle East diplomacy just days before a high-stakes White House meeting.
According to two senior US officials, the conversation took place shortly after the Gaza peace summit in Egypt. A US official familiar with the call said Trump told MBS:
“I ended the war in Gaza. Now I expect movement toward normalization with Israel.”
MBS reportedly responded positively, telling Trump he was willing to work on the matter with the administration—though the Saudis have traditionally tied normalization to the creation of a Palestinian state.
The Saudi embassy declined to comment.
White House Pushes for Breakthrough Before Trump–MBS Meeting
US officials hope for visible progress before next week’s high-profile meeting at the White House. The administration believes momentum is possible despite persistent gaps between Israeli and Saudi positions.
Saudi Arabia and Israel were nearing normalization in 2023, before Hamas’s October 7 massacre derailed the process and hardened Saudi public opinion. Now, Washington is trying to revive the effort with stronger incentives.
What Trump Is Willing to Offer
According to Axios, Trump is preparing to offer:
- A security pledge to Riyadh (short of a formal defense treaty, but a major strategic step)
- Expanded cooperation in defense, intelligence, and regional stabilization
- A framework that could evolve into a future US-Saudi defense pact
US officials say they have already met several of the Saudis’ longstanding demands.
Saudi Demands: Stronger Commitments from Israel
Sources close to Saudi leadership say MBS wants tangible Israeli commitments—not vague assurances—to justify normalization to a public that grew increasingly hostile to Israel after the Gaza war.
A senior US official summarized Washington’s position bluntly:
“We did all the things you asked for. Now Trump wants normalization. So how are you going to move now?”
The Gaza Plan: A Pathway to Statehood?
The Trump administration believes the final sections of its Gaza peace plan could satisfy Saudi concerns. The plan states that if the Palestinian Authority:
- Implements reforms “faithfully”
- Participates constructively in Gaza’s reconstruction
then conditions may arise for “a credible pathway” toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
This indirect, conditional approach is designed to placate Riyadh without forcing Israel into dangerous concessions upfront.
Will There Be a Breakthrough Next Week?
Officials say negotiations remain active and fluid—but it is still unclear whether the Trump–MBS meeting will deliver a dramatic diplomatic moment or simply lay groundwork for one.
Trump said last month:
“I hope to see Saudi Arabia go in. When Saudi Arabia goes in—everybody goes in.”
A successful normalization deal could trigger a historic wave of new Abraham Accords members, reshaping the region and isolating Iran and Hamas more than ever before.
