(Novemeber 20, 2025)
Trump admitted that the devastating war between Sudan‘s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was „not on my charts“ before Prince Mohammed bin Salman pushed him to get involved.
But Trump said he would now work to „stabilise“ the conflict with regional powers, notably including the United Arab Emirates, which denies accusations of backing the RSF with weapons and mercenaries.
Speaking on Thursday at a conference organised by the Israeli daily Makor Rishon, Smotrich, who heads the far-right Religious Zionism party, said: „Sovereignty [over the occupied West Bank] is the real test. If Saudi Arabia tells us normalisation in exchange for a Palestinian state, then the answer, my friends, is no thank you – keep riding camels on the desert sands, and we will continue to develop economically and socially, and with all the great things we know how to do.“
However, despite Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s initial welcoming of the plan, Dar had later made it clear in so many words that the plan for Gaza would not be acceptable if the amendments — jointly proposed by eight Muslim countries — were not included.
(…)
He said that during Monday’s meeting between Trump and Netanyahu, a 20-point plan was announced. He said that he then spoke to the Saudi foreign minister, who said that the urgent points put forth by the eight countries were accepted but some things still required further engagement.
Quoting the Saudi minister, he said that at that point there were two choices: to continue and perhaps Israel will continue its bloodshed, or we let Trump’s plan be implemented and issue a joint statement.
Eight Arab and Muslim nations released a statement on Monday backing US President Donald Trump‘s plan to end Israel‘s genocide in Gaza and establish an international peace keeping force there.
The countries are: Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan.
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman will take part in the upcoming United Nations high-level conference on the Palestinian issue and the two-state solution, scheduled for Sept. 22 in New York, either through a live remote connection or a pre-recorded message.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) have discussed preparations for a two-state solution conference on Palestine, which they will host on September 22 in New York City.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the two leaders discussed the outcomes of a past high-level international conference on resolving the Palestinian issue through a two-state solution, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France on July 28-30.
The agreement states that an attack against one country will be considered an attack against both.
This landmark pact is considered a revolutionary step, solidifying the depth of the strategic partnership and defense cooperation between the two nations. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir played a key role in the successful finalization of the agreement.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embrace each other on the day they sign a defence agreement, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 17, 2025.
DOHA, September 15, 2025 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas held separate meetings on Monday in Doha with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on the sidelines of the emergency Arab-Islamic summit convened to discuss the Israeli attack on the State of Qatar.
„Saudi Arabia rejects and condemns the Israeli aggression against Qatar and would mobilize all its capabilities in supporting the neighboring country,“ he said while inaugurating, on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, the activities of the second year of the 9th session of the Shoura Council in Riyadh on Wednesday. “We reject and condemn the aggressions of the Israeli occupation in the region, most recently its brutal attack on the State of Qatar. This aggression requires Arab, Islamic, and international action to stop the occupation and deter its criminal practices aimed at destabilizing the region,” he said.
He also noted that the Kingdom‘s diplomatic efforts have led to a growing number of countries recognizing the State of Palestine. He highlighted the success of the recent High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution held in New York, calling it an unprecedented gathering that has significantly strengthened international consensus around the peace initiative.
Regional leaders are rushing to Qatar in the wake of Israel’s deadly strike on Doha in a show of support.
Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed are expected to land in the Qatari capital today, Reuters reported.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is scheduled to follow on Thursday, underscoring the gravity of Israel’s attack and the regional outrage it has provoked.
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman made a phone call on Tuesday with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. During the call, the Crown Prince reaffirmed the Kingdom‘s full support for the State of Qatar and its condemnation of the blatant Israeli attack on the State of Qatar, saying that this constitutes a criminal act and a flagrant violation of international laws and norms. The Crown Prince also vowed that Saudi Arabia would employ all its capabilities to support its brothers in the State of Qatar and the measures Doha is taking to protect its security and preserve its sovereignty.
The Vice President of the State of Palestine conveyed the greetings of President Mahmoud Abbas to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, expressing thanks and appreciation for the Kingdom‘s steadfast positions and great efforts in supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause at all levels.
For his part, the Crown Prince conveyed his greetings to President Mahmoud Abbas, stressing the importance of continuing efforts to garner international recognition of the State of Palestine and supporting efforts aimed at the success of the international peace conference scheduled to be held in New York on September 22.
The President praised the Kingdom‘s pivotal and constructive role in mobilizing international support for the recognition of the State of Palestine and its embodiment on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
President Abbas further commended the Kingdom’s role in leading the Arab-Islamic efforts in two emergency summits, as well as the Arab-Islamic Committee, chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for its significant efforts within this framework, the formation of the international coalition, and the convening of the International Conference on Peace in New York.
The call also addressed ongoing preparations for the International Peace Conference in New York on 22 September and efforts to mobilize further recognitions of the State of Palestine, including the recognition of the State of Palestine by France, Britain, Canada, Australia and Singapore and the announcements made by other countries expressing their intention to recognize the State of Palestine, to enhance the prospects of achieving a just and comprehensive peace in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.
(July 29, 2025)
Hamas’ savage October 2023 attack and Israel’s horrific war of retaliation have reignited the call for a two-state solution. I applaud the joint French-Saudi UN initiative in support of a two-state solution in the hope that it will awaken the international community and end this most destructive and most protracted conflict since World War II.
They reached consensus on these fundamental principles in general terms. They plan rapid implementation, beginning with Gaza warfare termination.
1. Gaza hostilities will conclude within two weeks, ending conditions will encompass four Arab nations (including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates) to administer the Gaza Strip, replacing the murderous Hamas terrorist organization. The remaining Hamas leadership will face exile to other countries, while the hostages gain freedom……
Per Israel Hayom, the five points discussed were as follows:
1. Wrapping up the war on Gaza within two weeks and allowing for Egypt and the UAE to administer Gaza, replacing Hamas. Israel‘s remaining captives in the strip would also be released during this time.
2. Multiple countries taking in Gaza residents for resettlement.
3. The Abraham Accords expanding to include Saudi Arabia and Syria, and potentially other neighbours.
4. Israel declaring its „willingness for future Palestinian conflict resolution“ under the „two-state solution“ concept, contingent upon reforms of the Palestinian Authority.
5. Washington acknowledged Israel‘s „limited“ sovereignty over the occupied West Bank.
Tehran has asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press U.S. President Donald Trump to use his influence on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire with Iran in return for Tehran‘s flexibility in nuclear negotiations, two Iranian and three regional sources told Reuters on Monday.
Therefore, although it is still too early to disclose the full extent of Arab involvement, there are indications that Israel operated over the airspace of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria – the latter likely without its knowledge or consent.
Jordanian fighter jets intercepted Iranian drones over Jordanian territory.
It is also reasonable to assume that the regional air system, established following the Abraham Accords and Israel’s inclusion in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) – known as the Middle East Air Defense – was activated to intercept Iranian drones, as it was during Iran’s two previous attacks in April and October 2024.
(December 17, 2024)
Saudi Arabia has the characteristics of a nuclear hedger: a state that lays the groundwork for the active pursuit of nuclear weapons. Saudi Arabia has stated the conditions under which it would pursue nuclear weapons. It already possesses dual-capable delivery systems and seeks reactors to produce weapons-grade uranium. Its inability to enrich nuclear material alone prevents Saudi Arabia from gaining nuclear latency that it can rapidly convert into nuclear weapons. Saudi Arabia is best categorized as an insurance hedger that seeks to reduce the time needed to build a bomb. Regardless of the categorization of Saudi Arabia’s hedging, its interest in nuclear weapons has entered a new, acute stage.
(November 2023)
The Wall Street Journal reported in September that Netanyahu directed Israeli officials to work with the United States on an agreement that includes Saudi enrichment, but such a deal still would face criticism in Israel. (…)
Given Saudi Arabia’s public threats to develop nuclear weapons, it may be challenging for the Biden administration to gain support for any agreement that allows uranium enrichment, particularly if the kingdom does not have an additional protocol to its comprehensive safeguards agreement in place. Additional protocols to safeguards agreements were developed in the 1990s when it became clear from the cases of Iraq and North Korea that a comprehensive safeguard agreement alone was insufficient to prevent proliferation. An additional protocol gives the IAEA more access and information about a country’s nuclear activities.
(April 16, 2025)
Apparently concerned about the potential risk of Saudi nuclear proliferation, Wright also stated, “There will definitely be a 123 agreement.” This was a reference to the eponymous section of the 1954 U.S. Atomic Energy Act, which mandates that formal proliferation safeguards must be put in place before American agencies or companies can help a country start up a civil nuclear industry. The “gold standard” version of a 123 agreement explicitly prohibits enriching or reprocessing nuclear material—a limitation that only the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan have accepted in the past. Countries must instead agree to import reactor fuel rather than producing it themselves, and allow international inspections as well.
The ministers condemned “Israel’s decision to ban the delegation’s visit to Ramallah on Sunday to meet with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas,” the Jordanian foreign ministry said. Ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had been expected to take part alongside Turkey.
Israel decided to block a visit planned for Sunday by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey to the Palestinian Authority, a senior Israeli official said in a briefing with reporters.
Farhan will lead a delegation to Ramallah, a Palestinian embassy source told the AFP, in the first such trip since Israel conquered the territory from Jordan in 1967.
According to the sources, allowing Hamas to „retain a degree of political power would make it more likely to accept disarming,“ and the objective of the talks is to transform Hamas into a „purely political entity that can still play some role in future Palestinian governance.“
Reports have also indicated that there have been growing strains between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron over France‘s attempts to get more countries to recognize a Palestinian state.
Sources involved in the discussions told Bloomberg that according to the plan, Hamas would still maintain some political power in Gaza.
According to the report, the Saudis have presented the proposal to Hamas, although its unclear if French officials have contacted the group.
The optics of the U.S. leader’s Middle East visit were strong, showcasing the larger-than-life opulence of the region’s richest petrostates — and how much of that wealth they are willing to spend to deepen their ties with the U.S. and advance their own economic agendas.
The numbers are historic. Qatar and the U.S. agreed on a $1.2 trillion “economic exchange”; Saudia Arabia promised to invest $600 billion in the U.S., and major projects were signed with the United Arab Emirates, after Abu Dhabi in March committed to a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework in the U.S.
In a readout on the two leaders‘ meeting in Saudi Arabia, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr. Trump had told the Syrian leader that „he has a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country,“ and urged him to join Saudi Arabia in signing onto the U.S.-backed Abraham Accords, to normalize ties with Israel.
This announcement comes as key figures in the tech world, including Tesla‘s Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, are expected in Riyadh for a US-Saudi investment forum. The event is expected to feature a series of multibillion-dollar deals across AI, defence, and other sectors.
During an address at the event, Prince Mohammed said the Kingdom was looking at $600 billion of investment opportunities, adding that he hoped this would raise to $1 trillion.
The United States and Saudi Arabia signed an economic partnership agreement and a number of energy deals between Saudi oil giant Aramco and American companies during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to the Kingdom on Tuesday.