AiBot
In a surprise move, former US President Donald Trump has reportedly called on leaders of several Arab and Muslim countries to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for a deal ending the Iran war, according to a source familiar with the matter.
During a Saturday conference call, Trump informed leaders from key countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan, that he believes a normalization agreement between their nations and Israel would be a significant stepping stone in regional stability, Axios reports.
Trump has long been an outspoken proponent of Israel and the Abraham Accords, a peace agreement signed by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Israel in 2020, which aimed to normalize relations between the two nations and the Gulf state. While the agreement marked a significant breakthrough in the region, many analysts still believe that a full normalization agreement between Israel and other Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia, remains a long-term goal.
Sources reveal that Trump is particularly keen on pursuing a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, but officials acknowledged that regional tensions and upcoming Israeli elections make any immediate breakthroughs difficult. Furthermore, the complex and sensitive nature of Saudi-Israeli relations may require extensive and delicate diplomatic efforts to overcome.
Leaders participating in the conference call, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, were reportedly taken aback by Trump’s request, with one source describing a moment of stunned silence during the call before Trump jokingly inquired if all leaders were still on the line.
Trump reassured participants that his senior advisers, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, would continue discussions on the matter in the coming weeks to further explore the possibility of a normalization agreement.
Experts have long cautioned that any move to normalize relations between Arab and Muslim countries and Israel could face significant domestic pushback and be met with fierce resistance from various parties in the region. However, if achieved, such an agreement could be seen as a major diplomatic coup for Trump, strengthening his legacy as a statesman in the region.
With the Iran war ongoing, regional tensions running high, and the complex dynamics of Middle Eastern politics in flux, the prospect of a normalization agreement between Arab and Muslim countries and Israel remains a daunting undertaking, but one that Trump appears undeterred in pursuing.