Israel ‘normalisation’ takes backseat as Trump announces Saudi Arabian deals
The White House has made public a flurry of economic and defence pacts with Saudi Arabia involving hundreds of billions of dollars, but any mention of Israel was conspicuously absent from the announcements.
Analysts say that while the so-called “normalisation” drive between Saudi Arabia and Israel dominated his predecessor, Joe Biden’s, approach to the region, Trump is shifting focus elsewhere.
“The Trump administration has made it clear they are willing to move forward on key agreements with Saudi Arabia without the previous condition of Saudi-Israel normalisation,” said Anna Jacobs, a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute, a think tank.
“This probably reflects growing frustration in the Trump administration with Israeli military action across the region, especially in Gaza.”
Saudi Crown Prince says need to end Gaza war, find ‘lasting solution’
In the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the GCC-US meeting has kicked off. Addressing the gathering of Trump and GCC leaders, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed praised the Gulf states’ relationship with the US, which he hopes will reach even “higher levels”. He said he looks forward to opening “new horizons in all domains, in the interest of all our states”.
The crown prince also brought up the war in Gaza, which he said he looks forward to working with the US on to “end”, while “finding a comprehensive lasting solution” for the Palestinian people.
He referenced ongoing conflicts in Yemen and Sudan, which he said also required “diplomatic solutions”.
All captives have to be released from Gaza: Trump
In Riyadh, Trump has also addressed the war in Gaza, saying he shares the “hope of so many in this region for a future of safety and dignity for the Palestinian people”.
He took a shot at “Gaza’s leaders”, saying their attacks against “innocent people” are blocking progress. He said he “greatly appreciates” GCC leaders’ “constructive role” in “trying to bring an end to this terrible conflict”.
“Ultimately, all hostages of all nationalities have to be released. And I think it’s going to happen,” said Trump.
The remaining captives are all soldiers, aka PoWs, not hostages. Ending the war will get them released, as Hamas has been saying for months.
Israel is blocking progress by continuing to bomb and starve innocent people.
Saudi foreign minister says Gaza war must come to an end
Speaking after the the GCC-US meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said all sides “agreed on the necessity to bring the Gaza war to an end and to ensure the release of captives and detainees and the delivery of aid, and work towards a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region”.
“The kingdom reiterated the principle of the two-state solution on the 1967 border,” he added.
