Saudi Arabia will only move forward with normalization talks with Israel after a Gaza ceasefire first is secured, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan declared Friday. Speaking in Moscow alongside Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, he emphasized that ending the war is a “prelude to the establishment of a Palestinian state.”
The statement follows reports of a secret White House meeting between US President Donald Trump and Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Farhan Al-Saud. Discussions reportedly covered Israel-Saudi normalization, de-escalation with Iran, and Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected ceasefire-for-hostage deals, but Hebrew media suggests he may reconsider as part of a broader regional agreement involving Saudi Arabia and Syria.
Trump’s meeting with the Saudi defense minister indicates ongoing efforts to broker Middle East peace. The talks focused on Iran nuclear talks, Gaza truce terms, and steps toward Israeli-Saudi normalization.
Meanwhile, Riyadh and Paris are rescheduling a Palestinian statehood conference postponed due to Israel’s recent conflict with Iran. The event, originally planned for the UN General Assembly, aims to revive diplomatic momentum.
Prince Faisal also urged Iran to resume cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Tehran suspended compliance last month after Israel targeted its nuclear and military infrastructure. Nuclear talks, stalled during the Iran-Israel war, may restart in Oslo next week. Saudi Arabia seeks a diplomatic resolution to prevent further regional escalation.
Before October 7, Saudi-Israeli normalization seemed imminent. However, Riyadh now insists any deal include irreversible steps toward Palestinian statehood—a demand opposed by Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition.
With Trump mediating and Netanyahu visiting Washington soon, the coming weeks could determine whether a Gaza ceasefire first paves the way for historic agreements—or deeper deadlock.
