Trump Special Envoy Meets Saudi Crown Prince... Will the Middle East 'Mega Deal' Be Sealed?

Trump Sends Special Envoy to Saudi Arabia
Will Saudi-Israel Diplomatic Relations Be Established?

Donald Trump, President-elect of the United States, and Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, are shaking hands. Photo by AP Yonhap News

As the U.S. Middle East envoy met with Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, there is analysis suggesting that discussions regarding the establishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel likely took place.

The American internet media Axios reported on the 13th (local time) that Steven Witkoff, appointed as the Middle East envoy by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, met with Crown Prince bin Salman on the 11th. This is the first time since last month's U.S. presidential election that a Trump transition team official has met with Crown Prince bin Salman.

Although the details of the meeting were not disclosed, it is believed that there was an exchange of views on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which is considered a key issue to ease tensions in the Middle East region.

Initially, the Joe Biden administration attempted to lead the establishment of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel through negotiations with Saudi Arabia but failed. Saudi Arabia set stringent demands in negotiations with the U.S., including allowing civilian nuclear development. Furthermore, after the outbreak of the Gaza war following the October 7 terrorist attack by the Palestinian armed faction Hamas last year, Saudi Arabia took a stance that it could not concede on the establishment of a Palestinian independent state, causing the negotiations to collapse.

However, experts analyze that recent changes in the situation may lead Saudi Arabia to agree to negotiations. Israel has succeeded in military operations against hostile countries such as Iran and Lebanon, and with the inauguration of Trump, who has close ties with Israel, Saudi Arabia's calculations have become more complicated.

An Israeli government official predicted, "Due to these changes in the situation, Saudi Arabia might withdraw its demand for the establishment of a Palestinian independent state." If Saudi Arabia steps back from this demand, diplomatic relations with Israel could be established quickly.

If Saudi Arabia steps back from the demand for the establishment of a Palestinian independent state due to the changing situation, the negotiations for diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia are likely to proceed rapidly.

Meanwhile, during his first term in 2020, President-elect Trump mediated the "Abraham Accords," which normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE).