Saudi Crown Prince Presses Washington for Two-State Pathway as Israel Firmly Rejects Palestinian Statehood
Key Facts
- MBS tells Trump Saudi Arabia will not join the Abraham Accords without a "clear" and "credible" two-state pathway.
- Israel's government reiterates it will never allow a Palestinian state -- creating a major obstacle for U.S.-Saudi efforts.
- Trump moves ahead with F-35 sales and a civil nuclear deal with Riyadh despite Israeli concerns over regional security.
- Saudi leadership signals willingness to fund Gaza reconstruction but insists political horizons cannot be ignored.
By Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
WASHINGTON D.C. (Worthy News) – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) used his first White House visit in seven years to deliver a blunt message: Riyadh is ready to join the Abraham Accords — but only if there is a real, irreversible path toward a two-state solution.
“We want to be part of the Abraham Accords, but we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path toward a two-state solution,” MBS said Tuesday during a press availability with President Donald Trump. The crown prince described a “healthy discussion” with Trump on the matter and said Saudi Arabia is working toward “the right situation as soon as possible.”
The firm public stance reflects a growing assertiveness from Riyadh, which has repeatedly told interlocutors it cannot normalize relations with Israel without meaningful political movement for Palestinians — especially following last year’s Gaza war. Saudi officials say public opinion in the kingdom has hardened, and MBS now feels compelled to elevate the Palestinian component of any eventual deal.
ISRAEL REJECTS SAUDI TERMS OUTRIGHT
While Saudi Arabia pushes the Biden-era two-state demand back to center stage, Israel’s government is moving in the opposite direction.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — along with senior members of his governing coalition — has reiterated in the strongest possible terms that Israel will not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state under any circumstances. Officials have emphasized that the Gaza war has “ended the two-state illusion,” and that sovereignty west of the Jordan River must remain exclusively Israeli for security reasons.
This Israeli position directly contradicts the framework MBS says is required for Riyadh to join the Abraham Accords. Though Trump and some of Netanyahu’s advisors have historically believed the Saudi demand could be satisfied through symbolic gestures, the crown prince’s remarks suggest that the window may have closed.
SAUDI PRESSURE BUILDS AS WASHINGTON SEEKS A BREAKTHROUGH
The timing of MBS’s two-state emphasis was deliberate. With the Gaza ceasefire in place — a major Saudi condition for normalization — Riyadh chose Tuesday’s White House summit to underscore that the Palestinian issue cannot be sidelined publicly.
“We want peace for the Israelis, we want peace for the Palestinians,” MBS said. “We want them to coexist peacefully in the region.”
Trump acknowledged the divide but avoided committing to specific political parameters. “We talked about one state and two-state [solutions],” he said, adding only that the Saudis showed a “very good feeling toward the Abraham Accords.”
But Israeli leadership remains unyielding, making a near-term breakthrough unlikely.
SECURITY FRICTION: F-35 SALE MOVES FORWARD DESPITE ISRAELI OPPOSITION
Compounding the tension, Trump confirmed the United States will sell advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia — a move the Israeli security establishment strongly opposes, citing fears of eroding Israel’s aerial superiority.
Asked whether the sale could undermine Israel’s qualitative military edge, Trump brushed aside the concern: “As far as I’m concerned, I think [Saudi Arabia and Israel] are both at a level where they should get top of the line.”
Israel reportedly urged Washington to condition the sale on Saudi entry into the Abraham Accords — meaning on concessions Israel itself is unwilling to give. Trump declined.
The White House later announced that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia also signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, laying the foundation for a long-term, multi-billion-dollar partnership.
SAUDI ARABIA SIGNALS WILLINGNESS TO FUND GAZA RECONSTRUCTION
Even while insisting on political conditions for normalization, MBS stressed that Riyadh will play a significant role in rebuilding Gaza. “We will definitely help,” he said, although the exact figure has yet to be determined. Trump quickly interjected: “It’ll be a lot.”
Saudi officials say reconstruction aid will go forward regardless of whether normalization occurs immediately — but cannot substitute for a credible diplomatic horizon.
THE REGIONAL IMPLICATIONS
MBS’s public two-state push — at the White House, and in Trump’s presence — marks the clearest indicator yet that Saudi Arabia is not prepared to decouple normalization from Palestinian aspirations.
Israel’s government, meanwhile, refuses to entertain the idea. The result is a widening policy gulf that threatens to stall one of the most consequential diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.
Despite sweeping economic, defense, and nuclear agreements signed Tuesday — including up to $1 trillion in future Saudi investment in the United States — the central question remains unresolved: whether Israel will accept any political horizon for Palestinians, and whether Riyadh will proceed without one.
For now, both answers appear to be no — keeping the promise of a Saudi-Israel breakthrough tantalizing but out of reach.
A PROPHETIC MOMENT: NATIONS GATHERING TO DIVIDE THE LAND
For many watching events unfold through a prophetic lens, the global alignment surrounding Gaza and renewed international pressure to partition the land carries profound biblical significance. Observers point to Joel 3:2, where the Lord declares that He will “gather all nations” for judgment “on account of My people, My heritage Israel,” specifically “because they have divided up My land.” As world powers debate borders, sovereignty, and the future of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, many Christians see these developments not merely as geopolitical shifts but as events moving in step with ancient prophecies concerning the end of the age.
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