Saudi Crown Prince Fears Assassination Amid Normalization Talks with Israel

EqualOcean has learned that recently, the U.S. government has been working to facilitate a “historic agreement” between Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize relations. According to Politico, multiple informed sources have revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has expressed to visiting U.S. lawmakers that agree to normalize relations with Israel could pose political risks, including fears of assassination. Mohammed explained that any agreement on normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel must include a commitment from Israel to establish a Palestinian state, a commitment that the Israeli government has been unwilling to make.

In his discussions with U.S. lawmakers, Mohammed referenced the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. He inquired about the measures the U.S. took to protect Sadat. Politico journalist Tusi believes that Mohammed’s depiction of the current situation and his security concerns represents a shrewd diplomatic strategy. By expressing fears of assassination, he could be leveraging the situation to push U.S. lawmakers to exert greater pressure on Israel to reach an agreement more to his liking.

Picture Source: The Washington Post