Former Saudi Intelligence Chief: Riyadh Has No Plans to Normalize Relations with Tel Aviv
Turki bin Faisal, Saudi prince and former head of Saudi intelligence, emphasized that Riyadh currently has no plans to normalize relations with Tel Aviv. He stated that this issue is directly linked to a just resolution of the Palestinian problem.
In an interview with The Times of Israel, he said that the positions of Saudi officials regarding the necessity of establishing a Palestinian state and support for the two-state solution are not contradictory. According to him, this solution only becomes meaningful if there is a serious, practical, and trustworthy path toward the ultimate goal of establishing a Palestinian state based on the Arab Peace Initiative.
Faisal, referring to the experience of various governments in the occupied territories, added that the cabinets that have come to power in those areas have opposed the genuine implementation of the two-state solution and a fair resolution of the refugee issue. He said that from Saudi Arabia’s perspective, normalization has always been conditional on achieving this solution, which also requires extensive cooperation from regional and global countries, including Saudi Arabia.
The former Saudi official identified the 1991 Madrid peace conference as an example of previous failed efforts and noted that at that time, Israel was unwilling to pay the price for peace. He warned that, given the prevailing attitudes in Tel Aviv, any step toward peace could easily be reversed.
According to Faisal, the continuation of hostile actions by Israel in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon, the failure to adhere to ceasefire agreements and normalization commitments, and some proposals regarding a “Greater Israel” have all increased levels of mistrust. He stressed that Tel Aviv must build trust by acting in accordance with international laws and United Nations Security Council resolutions.
In response to questions about pressures from Washington, Faisal said Saudi Arabia shapes its foreign policy based on its national interests, not the wishes of others. He noted that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has clearly conveyed his views to U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
He also dismissed speculation about the closeness of normalization before the “Al-Aqsa Storm” operation as products of Israeli and American source analyses, emphasizing that Riyadh will not pursue such a path without a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue and the real implementation of the two-state solution. In his opinion, normalization with an Israel that refuses to live peacefully and normally alongside its neighbors based on international principles holds no strategic benefit for Saudi Arabia, and any future government in Tel Aviv must accept this reality.
