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<div class="gmail-inner-article-top"><h1 class="gmail-">Soft normalization: Saudi Arabia quietly engages with Israel</h1><p class="gmail-">Riyadh’s
once stealthy pursuit of normalization with Tel Aviv is becoming
increasingly overt, driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s
ambition to secure his future throne. It is a task that has become
infinitely more difficult since 7 October 2023.</p><div class="gmail-another-name"><p><a href="https://thecradle.co/authors/mawadda-iskandar" style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">Mawadda Iskandar</a></p></div><div class="gmail-another-name" style="margin-top:16px"><p><span>AUG 20, 2024 -<font size="1"> </font></span><font size="1"><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/soft-normalization-saudi-arabia-quietly-engages-with-israel">https://thecradle.co/articles/soft-normalization-saudi-arabia-quietly-engages-with-israel</a></font></p></div></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-img"><img src="http://thecradle-main.oss-eu-central-1.aliyuncs.com/public/articles/52a745ee-5eff-11ef-b6e6-00163e02c055.jpeg" alt="" width="396" height="187" style="margin-right: 0px;"><span>(Photo Credit: The Cradle)</span></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-content"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col-md-8 gmail-col-sm-7"><div class="gmail-article-content"><span><p>Despite
Israel’s ongoing brutal assault on the Gaza Strip and its 2.4 million
Palestinians, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) continues to
pursue a controversial deal to normalize relations with the occupation
state. Riyadh has persisted in deepening relations with Tel Aviv in
multiple sectors despite receiving ‘<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/08/14/saudi-prince-mbs-israel-deal-00173898">death threats</a>’ from opponents of normalization in the kingdom. </p><p>So
why, then, does the crown prince insist on trudging down this unpopular
path unless he believes that establishing ties with Israel is crucial
for securing his ascendency to the Saudi throne? </p><p>Earlier this week, <i>Politico</i> revealed
new details about these secretive negotiations, including multiple US
commitments to Riyadh. These US assurances range from security
guarantees through a treaty to assistance with a civilian nuclear
program and economic investments in technology. </p><p>However, Tel Aviv remains resistant to including a credible path for establishing a Palestinian state as part of a deal, <a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/independent-palestinian-state-prerequisite-before-normalization-with-israel-saudi-arabia/3140785">a key demand</a> from the Saudis.</p><p><strong>A history of quiet diplomatic moves</strong></p><p>Normalization with Saudi Arabia is no less important for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2022/10/21/exp-gps-1023-bibi-netanyahu-saudi-normalization-iran.cnn">considered</a> the
deal a major diplomatic goal since before his re-election in 2022.
Prior to last year’s Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Netanyahu believed the
deal was imminent. </p><p>Today, the situation remains complex, with the
deal's fate hanging in the balance due to conflicting conditions and
demands set by Saudi Arabia, the US, and Israel. </p><p>The roots of
normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel stretch back several
decades, with a history of covert diplomatic dealings often referred to
as ‘<a href="https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/saudi-arabia-adopts-soft-normalisation-with-israel-40030">soft normalization</a>.’</p><p>Since his appointment as Riyadh’s ambassador to Washington in 1983, Prince Bandar bin Sultan Al-Saud <a href="https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/ar/policy-analysis/althlyl-alalamy-llqa-alamyr-trky-alfysl-wallwa-mydrwr">laid the groundwork</a> for
this gradual rapprochement, meeting with Israeli political and security
leaders over the years. His successor, Turki al-Faisal, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/defense-chief-raps-west-over-missteps-in-iran-syria/">continued these efforts</a>, becoming a key point man in Saudi–Israeli contacts.</p><p>Anwar
Eshki, who served as his predecessor and was an adviser to Prince
Bandar, participated in seminars promoting normalization and paid his<a href="https://www.bbc.com/arabic/middleeast/2016/07/160724_saudi_israel"> first visit</a> to the occupied territories in 2016. </p><p>A
pivotal moment in this covert relationship took place in 2019 when MbS
hosted a delegation of evangelical figures supporting the Zionist
project led by Joel Rosenberg. The meeting, along with subsequent <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/23/benjamin-netanyahu-secret-meeting-saudi-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman">secret talks</a> between
MbS and Netanyahu in NEOM in 2020, marked a notable step toward open
normalization. Over time, such meetings and visits became routine, with
Saudi officials and citizens increasingly engaging with Israel,
including making public <a href="https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/syfab6bz2">visits to the occupied territories</a>.</p><p><strong>Repressive measures and strategic interests</strong></p><p>The
two states share several strategic goals. Saudi Arabia is opposed to
the regional Axis of Resistance, which includes Iran, Syria, Hezbollah,
Ansarallah, Hamas, and other non-state actors, and has implemented
repressive measures against the Palestinian resistance. The kingdom has
for years <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/9/23/what-is-behind-the-saudi-campaign-against-hamas">targeted</a> supporters of Hamas and individuals funneling funds to the Palestinian territories. This includes the arrest of more than <a href="http://more%20than%2060%20palestinians/">60 Palestinians</a> in 2019, some of them Hamas officials and Saudi nationals who received lengthy prison terms.</p><p>As
recently as May, Saudi Arabia stepped up its campaign to arrest social
media users in the kingdom who attacked Israel online – this after more
than 34,000 Palestinians had been killed in relentless Israeli
airstrikes on population centers.</p><p>From the sidelines, Saudi Arabia has also <a href="https://www.mc-doualiya.com/articles/20200912-%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%87%D9%84-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B1-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9">supported</a> the normalization efforts of Bahrain and Sudan while offering the occupied West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA) <a href="https://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1001342342&fbclid=IwAR0fpNNWhu_GYPzmTmgqyQ80VQo0jHyRWtsAbccsemZjpeanS3-sCQT0Ofs">economic incentives</a> to collaborate further with Israel.</p><p>Since
its inception, the kingdom has utilized Islam to legitimize its
political actions, and this Saudi soft normalization with Israel is no
exception, with Muhammad bin Abdul Karim bin Abdulaziz Al-Issa,
Secretary General of the Muslim World League, playing a key role in
promoting religious normalization. </p><p>Since 2017, Al-Issa has
championed the cause of interfaith dialogue as a gateway for furthering
religious ties with Israel. His 2020 <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/saudi-cleric-known-for-auschwitz-visit-interfaith-dialogue-gives-main-hajj-sermon/">visit to Auschwitz</a> and subsequent meetings with Israeli and Jewish leaders were part of this broader strategy.</p><p>US <a href="https://twitter.com/StateSEAS/status/1542217953587888130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1542217953587888130%7Ctwgr%5E720ed264f517f2acbfa010b50c8e61dcec9c979e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsabq.org%2Fsaudia%2FD8A3D8A8D8AFD8AA-D8A5D8B9D8ACD8A7D8A8D987D8A7-D8A7D984D8B4D8AFD98AD8AF-D985D8A7D8B0D8A7-D982D8A7D984D8AA-D8B3D981D98AD8B1D8A9-D8A3D985D8B1D98AD983D98AD8A9-D8B9D985D8A7-D8B1D8A3D8AAD987-D981D98A-D8A7D984D8B3D8B9D988D8AFD98AD8A9">Special Envoy</a> for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism, Deborah Lipstadt, also met with Saudi officials in the kingdom, and a <a href="https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/bk1p6mevk">delegation </a>of
American Jewish leaders visited to promote normalization. Areas of soft
normalization included Saudi Arabia’s hosting of Rabbi Yaakov Herzog, a
former Israeli artillery soldier and an extremist Zionist advocate of
the demolition of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The rabbi seeks <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-saudi-arabia-a-rabbi-angles-to-lead-a-jewish-community-that-doesnt-exist/?fbclid=IwAR1efLKtqo6lEhkH7fPmwyXIMfQroqu8AOUHFTgRYoN63jQpAOwqAB7kL5o">to stir controversy</a> through his activities, including <a href="https://twitter.com/RabbiHerzog/status/1549099493211213826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1549099493211213826%7Ctwgr%5Eff1d205855b87b5ebf1a30a12bda9a1d249b0242%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.watanserb.com%2F2022%2F07%2F19%2FD8A7D984D8B1D8B3D988D984-D8A3D8AED8B1D8AC-D8A7D984D98AD987D988D8AF-D985D986-D8A7D984D985D8AFD98AD986D8A9-D8A7D984D985D986D988D8B1D8A9%2F">a visit </a>to the mosque and the cemetery of martyrs of Uhud in Medina. </p><p><strong>Security and economic ties with Israel </strong></p><p>Unsurprisingly,
Riyadh and Tel Aviv have worked to enhance their security cooperation –
a significant aspect of their relationship today. As the <a href="https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2021-03/fs_2103_at_2020.pdf">world’s largest arms importer</a>,
Saudi Arabia has sought to enhance its military capabilities through
deals with the occupation state, including acquiring Israel’s <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/cracks-in-the-dome-israels-security-mirage">flawed Iron Dome air defense system</a>. Security relations have included joint military exercises and cooperation on cybersecurity, with Saudi Arabia relying on <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/24f22b28-56d1-4d66-8f76-c9020b1b5cb1">Israeli spyware</a> to monitor and control opposition within the kingdom.</p><p>Speaking to <i>The Cradle</i>, dissident Saudi author and political analyst Fouad Ibrahim says: </p><blockquote><p>Saudi
Arabia views normalization as more than just a political project, as it
also includes an economic project and a strategic project related to
the future of the throne in Saudi Arabia.</p></blockquote><p>Economic
normalization is crucial for MbS’s coveted Vision 2030 project, which
aims to transform the kingdom’s economy and institute social
liberalization. The deal with Israel includes opening <a href="https://ar.timesofisrael.com/%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A/">Saudi airspace to Israeli flights</a> and
encouraging Israeli investment in Saudi heritage sites. Jared Kushner,
the architect of the 2020 Abraham Accords, has played a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/jared-kushner-investment-firm-affinity-raises-3-billion-committed-funding-2021-12-23/">prominent role</a> in these efforts, working to establish an investment corridor between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.</p><p>Among
the most ambitious projects is the fiber optic cable linking Tel Aviv
to Persian Gulf countries, as well as a planned railway expansion that
would connect Saudi Arabia to Israel via Jordan. Ibrahim contends that
the Palestinian resistance’s Al-Aqsa Flood operation last October
disrupted these plans, placing a whole host of these economic projects
in jeopardy:</p><blockquote><p>The Al-Aqsa Flood came and thwarted this
project and disrupted it for an unknown period. Therefore, the Saudi
regime, along with the US and the Israeli entity, was the first to feel
that the Al-Aqsa Flood was directed primarily at the normalization
project in the region.</p></blockquote><p><strong>Softening stance leading to soft normalization </strong></p><p>Cultural
and media strategies have played an advanced role in acclimating Saudis
to normalization with Israel. Since the events of 11 September 2001,
Saudi Arabia has worked on revising its education curricula, gradually
removing references to Israel as an enemy and promoting a more <a href="https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240604-saudi-arabia-softens-stance-toward-israel-in-new-school-curriculum-study-finds/">neutral stance</a> on
the occupation state. Art and media have also played a role, with Saudi
TV channels airing programs that subtly promote peace with Israel. </p><p>The
media, in particular, has been a powerful tool in shaping public
perception, with Saudi outlets often hosting Israeli officials and
broadcasting reports from within the kingdom. This propaganda campaign
has aimed to create a climate conducive to normalization, although
public support for such a move has fluctuated, especially after the
events of 7 October.</p><p>At the heart of the crown prince’s Vision
2030 is his desire to position Saudi Arabia as a global sports hub. The
Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, leads this
expansive project by purchasing major foreign sports franchises and
hosting international sporting events in the kingdom. </p><p>The sports sector has been yet another tool of soft normalization, paving the way for <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/shachar-sagiv-becomes-first-israeli-athlete-to-compete-in-saudi-arabia/">official Israeli teams</a> to appear in Saudi Arabia, where they <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-anthem-plays-in-saudi-at-fifa-video-game-cup-rehearsal-but-not-at-ceremony/">raise the occupation state’s flag </a>and sing its national anthem. Official matches and competitions are held <a href="https://arab.news/gpzur">between </a>Saudi and Israeli players, and the <a href="https://al-akhbar.com/World_Cup/277768">Saudi national football team </a>has even participated in matches held in the occupied West Bank. </p><p>As
is now glaringly evident, Riyadh’s efforts toward normalization with
Tel Aviv have been multifaceted, involving diplomatic, religious,
security, economic, cultural, and media strategies. While these efforts
have made significant progress over the years, the future of this
delicate relationship remains uncertain, especially with rapid
developments in the region-wide resistance against the occupation state
in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. </p><p>The underlying strategic
interests that drive Riyadh’s approach to Israel – security, economic
growth, and regional influence – suggest that these efforts will
continue, albeit with tweaks and adjustments, so as not to invite
reprisals from the Resistance Axis, not least the Yemeni Armed Forces on
Saudi Arabia’s restive southern border.</p></span></div></div></div></div>
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