Following the New York Times report that Riyadh is demanding "significant steps" that will benefit the Palestinians as part of the normalization process with Israel, a political source told Israel Hayom on Sunday morning that "Israel will not take any action that harms a future settlement." In Israel, a vague expression is deliberately used, but it means construction at points that many believe thwart a future agreement, such as in Area E1.
The comment in Israel that the Saudis emphasize the Palestinian cause to a great extent, because it is the Americans themselves who raise the issue. Israeli officials believe that once the Americans emphasize the Palestinian issue, the Saudis cannot afford to demand more moderation.
Without shaking hands: Biden meets with bin Salman in Saudi Arabia // Credit: Saudi TV
Israel is convinced that the renewal of American efforts to promote normalization with Saudi Arabia comes as a response against China's growing involvement in the region, and the American desire to convey the message that America is still active in the Middle East.
The New York Times reported earlier that Israeli officials who recently met with their American counterparts "got the impression" that moving toward a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia would require "significant progress" on Israeli concessions to the Palestinians.
U.S. officials in Jeddah on Thursday told their counterparts of "cautious optimism" that progress toward an agreement could be made while talks continue.
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