Middle Eastern and American leaders have attempted to downplay the Palestinian issue but this strategy may no longer be effective
Middle Eastern and American leaders have attempted to downplay the Palestinian issue, but this strategy may no longer be effective.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim in August that the Palestinian issue had been reduced to a mere “check box” in Arab-Israeli relations, suggesting it was merely symbolic, has faced a new challenge in the wake of recent events.
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A month later, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) confirmed talks about normalizing relations with Israel, with a condition that Israel must “ease the life of the Palestinians” in return. However, this stance diverges from a decades-old Saudi pledge to only make peace with Israel once it fully withdraws from occupied territories.
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Hamas’ recent attack on Israel has once again put the Palestinian issue in the global spotlight, potentially disrupting Israel’s efforts to expand what Netanyahu has called the “circle of peace” involving Arab nations that had previously bypassed the Palestinian issue to establish relations with Israel.
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Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, noted that Israeli leaders have long believed they could isolate Palestinians in enclaves without consequences, but this recent event has changed the dynamics, leaving Palestinians with a bleak future.
A Saudi-Israeli deal would have been a significant diplomatic win for Netanyahu in ending Israel’s regional isolation without making major concessions to the Palestinians. It also would have been a foreign policy achievement for the Biden administration ahead of upcoming elections.
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The trend of Arab-Israeli normalization began in 2020 when the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan recognized Israel while offering rhetorical support for the Palestinian cause. This process, known as the Abraham Accords, was facilitated by the Trump administration and was hailed as a historic turning point in the region.
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The United States has made Arab-Israeli normalization a central element of its Middle East policy, sidelining the Palestinian issue in the process. Jordan’s King Abdullah criticized the normalization process, emphasizing that it cannot occur when Israelis and Palestinians are in conflict.
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However, despite recent events, the U.S. remains committed to encouraging the normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
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In response to the Hamas attack, Saudi Arabia pointed to Israel’s occupation and treatment of the Palestinians but stopped short of condemning Hamas. It appears that the prospects of Saudi-Israeli normalization have taken a more traditional turn in light of recent developments.
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The Hamas operation’s ultimate objective seems to be disrupting the status quo and shaking Israeli complacency regarding the Palestinian issue.
