Saudi Arabia Postpones Israel Deal Due to Regional Unrest, Engages with Iran

On Thursday, the Saudi crown prince and Iran’s president spoke for the first time over the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Saudi Arabia is putting US-backed efforts to normalise relations with Israel on hold, according to two people familiar with Riyadh’s thinking, marking a quick reconsideration of its foreign policy priorities as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian organisation Hamas deepens.

The crisis has also compelled the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to interact with Iran. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received his first phone contact from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, as Riyadh attempts to avert a regional spike in unrest.

Sources previously stated that Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and home to its two holiest sites, would not allow its pursuit of a US defence pact to be derailed even if Israel did not offer significant concessions to the Palestinians in their bid for statehood.

However, ignoring Palestinians risks infuriating Arabs throughout the area, as Arab news channels broadcast photos of Palestinians killed in Israeli retaliatory air attacks.

In their October 7 offensive, Hamas forces killed over 1,300 Israelis, and by Friday, Israel’s ongoing strikes on Gaza had killed over 1,952 Palestinians.

The first source acquainted with Riyadh’s thinking stated that talks could not be continued for the time being, and that the subject of Israeli concessions for Palestinians would need to be a higher priority when talks restarted – a comment that implies Riyadh has not abandoned the concept.

Saudi Arabia’s choice to postpone its Israel deal in order to engage with Iran demonstrates the Middle East’s complicated and ever-changing geopolitics. While these developments have the potential to have a substantial impact on regional dynamics, they also demonstrate a commitment to discussion and diplomacy in the face of regional issues and conflicts. The coming months will be crucial in evaluating the long-term repercussions of these decisions on the political landscape of the Middle East.