According to Israeli journalist Danny Zaken writing in Israel Hayom, communications between the Israeli occupation and Saudi Arabia over normalisation have not ceased — though the process, he says, is slow and gradual.
Zaken explained that Nirit Ofir, a professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Reichman University, is considered among the Israelis most familiar with Saudi affairs. She led Israeli teams to the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in 2021, brokered commercial deals between companies from both sides, and became the first Israeli woman to speak publicly at a conference in the Kingdom in September 2023 — at a time when normalisation seemed increasingly possible.
Zaken suggested that the coming year may witness the first tangible steps toward rapprochement between the Israeli entity and Saudi Arabia — possibly before the next Israeli elections. While it remains uncertain whether Riyadh will fully join the Abraham Accords, he anticipates a political and economic milestone nonetheless.
He quoted a senior American diplomat as saying that this development “is not a gamble but a matter of geopolitical and economic interests,” adding, “What should have happened long ago will happen soon.”
Geopolitical Interests and Vision 2030
According to Zaken, Saudi Arabia’s interest stems partly from Vision 2030, the ambitious national plan launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This vision, he argues, increasingly aligns with commercial, technological, and security cooperation with the Israeli occupation — particularly in defence, fintech, and energy.
Bin Salman reportedly views Trump’s ‘Grand Deal’ as an opportunity to enhance trade routes from East to Europe, possibly extending to oil and gas pipelines, while pursuing a defence alliance with the United States and Israel to confront Iran and its regional allies, including the Houthis.
Security Coordination and Regional Implications
The journalist noted that security coordination has already surfaced. In June 2024, Saudi helicopters intercepted Iranian drones allegedly heading toward the occupied territories — a move described as part of efforts to thwart Iranian and Hamas objectives, particularly those outlined in a Hamas leadership document revealed by Israeli intelligence, which cited preventing Saudi Arabia’s entry into the Abraham Accords as one of its strategic aims.
Zaken wrote that the path to normalisation remains long and complex, yet feasible — especially following the return of U.S. President Donald Trump, a major sponsor of the Abraham Accords. He added that senior Saudi officials have expressed readiness and eagerness to join the accords, a step that could pave the way for other Arab and Islamic nations to follow.
Secret Meetings and Delayed Implementation
According to Zaken, direct talks between Saudi Arabia and the Israeli occupation in 2023 included meetings between Benjamin Netanyahu and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. These talks reportedly advanced to a near-final stage before Netanyahu’s UN General Assembly address was broadcast on Saudi television for the first time.
However, the latest war delayed the execution of these plans — though secret communication channels remain open at multiple levels.
The Emirati Role and the Post-War Horizon
Zaken highlighted that the United Arab Emirates plays a similar role, describing it — according to an Israeli official — as “Israel’s true Arab friend.” The UAE leverages this relationship to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza residents and to construct educational, medical, and infrastructure projects, while maintaining a harsh stance against Hamas.
He added that both Saudi Arabia and the UAE envision a profitable Middle East after the wars, eyeing opportunities in ports, trade, and regional cooperation with Israel — including the diamond industry, where Dubai has become the world’s largest diamond exchange with Israeli assistance.
After the War: Expanding Military and Social Influence
Zaken concluded that the end of the war will likely bring an expansion of arms deals and military-technology projects between Gulf states and the Israeli occupation. It will also include what he described as humanitarian and social cooperation in Gaza, where both countries are reportedly involved in efforts to “eradicate Palestinian extremism” through education, media, and cultural discourse — with temporary schooling programs already being implemented in areas under Israeli control.
Critical Context
While Israeli and Western media portray these developments as “historic progress,” many in the Muslim world view them with concern — as steps that legitimise the ongoing occupation of Palestine and weaken the collective Muslim stance against injustice.
For much of the Ummah, normalisation under occupation remains an unacceptable compromise — one that prioritises Western strategic interests over Islamic unity and the rights of the oppressed in Gaza and Al-Quds.
