Saudi crown prince said he personally ‘doesn’t care’ about Palestinian issue

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that he does not personally prioritize the Palestinian cause, according to a report in The Atlantic. The publication presented insights from nearly a year of diplomatic efforts by Washington after the war in Gaza began, based on discussions with officials from the U.S. and Middle East.

The report recounts a January meeting between Blinken and the crown prince in al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, where the possibility of normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel was discussed, even as the war in Gaza continued. At the time, Saudi Arabia appeared to be progressing toward normalization, but the outbreak of conflict on 7 October interrupted those discussions. Mohammed bin Salman expressed to Blinken that any potential deal would require stability in Gaza.

The report claims Blinken asked if the Saudis could tolerate Israel conducting periodic military operations in Gaza. Mohammed bin Salman reportedly responded that such actions would not be acceptable following a normalization deal. He emphasized that much of Saudi Arabia’s younger population had only recently become aware of the Palestinian issue due to the conflict and that while he did not personally feel strongly about it, his people did, and thus it needed to be handled seriously.

However, a Saudi official described this version of events as inaccurate. Publicly, Mohammed bin Salman has maintained that Saudi Arabia would not normalize ties with Israel without establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He reaffirmed this stance during a recent speech to the Shura Council, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia would continue to work toward this goal and would not establish diplomatic relations with Israel until it was achieved.

The report also highlights that Saudi Arabia seeks a mutual defense treaty with the U.S. in exchange for normalization, a move that would require approval from the U.S. Senate. Mohammed bin Salman reportedly told Blinken that pursuing such a deal could come at personal risk to his life, referencing the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat after his peace agreement with Israel.

Despite widespread public opposition to Israel within Saudi Arabia, with over 90% of Saudis supporting a severance of ties, the kingdom has reportedly cracked down on expressions of Palestinian solidarity, including arrests for social media posts and wearing Palestinian symbols.

Prince Turki al-Faisal, a senior member of the Saudi royal family, downplayed these reports, stating that support for Palestine remains visible in Saudi media. He also noted that normalization with Israel remains unlikely due to Israel’s refusal to support a Palestinian state. Additionally, he dismissed speculation that Hamas’s attack on Israel aimed to disrupt Saudi-Israel normalization, noting the extensive preparation that would have been required for such an operation.