Hebrew site: Netanyahu's indirect message to Mohammed bin Salman triggered a fundamental shift in the Saudi position

The newspaper "Israel Hayom" revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received an indirect message from the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, indicating that Tel Aviv is not interested in normalizing relations with Riyadh and is not prepared to advance in any political path with the Palestinian Authority.

According to the newspaper, this message was considered unacceptable in Riyadh, leading to the suspension of the Saudi proposal that had broad Arab and international support, including from France and the United States, related to normalizing relations with Israel in exchange for tangible steps towards recognizing a Palestinian state.

It added that Saudi Arabia, which was on the verge of signing a normalization agreement and joining the "Abraham Accords" before October 7, is now leading an initiative with Paris to recognize the Palestinian state, while the normalization file with Israel has been forgotten.

The newspaper points out that the turning point came after a call made by Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer with the Crown Prince's office weeks ago, during which he discussed the situation in Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon, but emphasized that Israel would not allow any role for the Palestinian Authority even after the war, confirming that the priority is "defeating Hamas and ensuring it does not return".

From Riyadh's response, it is clear that Saudi Arabia sees the Israeli position as a rejection of any real political process, even if it involves symbolic steps or the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state.

According to diplomatic sources speaking to the newspaper, Riyadh excludes Israel from its vision for the future of the region, focusing instead on partnerships with Washington and other Arab countries. It also confirmed that all previous initiatives have been frozen due to what it described as "Netanyahu's surrender to the hardliners within his government".

In contrast, observers believe that Israel's position may change after the war, amid the Trump administration's interest in pushing for a "major regional deal" that includes the reconstruction of Gaza and transforming it into an investment and tourism hub, which could open the door for subsequent political settlements that include broader international recognition of the Palestinian state.