Saudi Arabia was quick to praise French President Emmanuel Macron following his announcement that he intends to recognize a Palestinian state at a conference to be held in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Saudi Arabia was not the only one to praise France; many other Arab states did the same. Still, the Saudi Kingdom’s position is particularly important not only because of its weight in the Arab and Islamic world but also because many see it as a candidate, under conditions it deems suitable, to establish formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
Over the past year, the Kingdom, together with France, has led a broad diplomatic initiative on the international stage to recognize a Palestinian state. As part of this move, a conference was planned but postponed due to the Iran–Israel conflict and is now scheduled to take place in September. Over the weekend, the Saudi Foreign Ministry described Macron’s declaration as “historic” and emphasized the Kingdom’s support for establishing a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia issued a call over the weekend to all countries that have not yet recognized a Palestinian state to do so.
Since the beginning of the war, one can detect the adoption of a harsh, critical tone toward Israel in official Saudi media, alongside a proactive Saudi policy aimed at advancing recognition of a Palestinian state. The highlight of this policy is the planned conference with France.
What are the Saudi motivations behind advancing the initiative, and how does it serve them? In the Saudis’ view, the initiative is part of raising their profile on the Palestinian issue, a process that began before the war but gained momentum after it. This includes statements against Israel by the de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, which have become increasingly harsh, and efforts to promote international moves on the Palestinian issue to gain points among the Arab public and show, even to critics of the Kingdom, that it is not merely paying lip service to the issue but is leading actual initiatives.
The strategy is intended to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional leader while positioning it as a responsible and mediating power in the international arena. This Saudi move should not be seen as abandoning the idea of normalization; on the contrary, it is an attempt to gain legitimacy that will also be essential for the possibility of pro-normalization steps.
Saudi Arabia was quick to praise French President Emmanuel Macron following his announcement that he intends to recognize a Palestinian state at a conference to be held in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Saudi Arabia was not the only one to praise France; many other Arab states did the same. Still, the Saudi Kingdom’s position is particularly important not only because of its weight in the Arab and Islamic world but also because many see it as a candidate, under conditions it deems suitable, to establish formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
Over the past year, the Kingdom, together with France, has led a broad diplomatic initiative on the international stage to recognize a Palestinian state. As part of this move, a conference was planned but postponed due to the Iran–Israel conflict and is now scheduled to take place in September. Over the weekend, the Saudi Foreign Ministry described Macron’s declaration as “historic” and emphasized the Kingdom’s support for establishing a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia issued a call over the weekend to all countries that have not yet recognized a Palestinian state to do so.
Since the beginning of the war, one can detect the adoption of a harsh, critical tone toward Israel in official Saudi media, alongside a proactive Saudi policy aimed at advancing recognition of a Palestinian state. The highlight of this policy is the planned conference with France.
What are the Saudi motivations behind advancing the initiative, and how does it serve them? In the Saudis’ view, the initiative is part of raising their profile on the Palestinian issue, a process that began before the war but gained momentum after it. This includes statements against Israel by the de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, which have become increasingly harsh, and efforts to promote international moves on the Palestinian issue to gain points among the Arab public and show, even to critics of the Kingdom, that it is not merely paying lip service to the issue but is leading actual initiatives.
The strategy is intended to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional leader while positioning it as a responsible and mediating power in the international arena. This Saudi move should not be seen as abandoning the idea of normalization; on the contrary, it is an attempt to gain legitimacy that will also be essential for the possibility of pro-normalization steps.