As Gaza lies in ruins under the weight of one of the most brutal and sustained military assaults in recent history, Saudi Arabia is moving steadily—and, some would say, shamelessly—toward normalization with Israel. In exchange for weapons, political leverage, and Western favor, the Saudi regime appears willing to dismantle decades of Arab consensus on the Palestinian cause, silencing domestic dissent and sacrificing regional credibility in the process.
This political pivot is neither coincidental nor surprising. It is the latest chapter in a slow and deliberate strategy that prioritizes regime survival over national integrity, and Western acceptance over Arab unity. According to a recent report by the Atlantic Council, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is grappling with domestic resistance to normalization—resistance rooted deeply in public support for Palestine. But rather than address this discontent, the regime is pressing forward, aligning itself more closely with both Washington and Tel Aviv in the hope of securing long-term strategic guarantees.
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Weapons Over Welfare: Billions Spent, None Benefiting the People
The United States is reportedly preparing a massive arms deal with Saudi Arabia, including advanced fighter jets, missile systems, and integrated air defense platforms. This deal, estimated at over $100 billion, comes at a time when the kingdom is grappling with rising debt, economic strain, and growing inequality.
For the average Saudi citizen, the contradiction is glaring: the government pleads austerity at home while lavishing foreign arms manufacturers with public money. These deals are not aimed at protecting the region or supporting Palestinian resistance. Instead, they serve two purposes—securing the regime’s own power and earning political capital with Washington.
Normalization in Stages: A Calculated Betrayal
Despite officially denying full normalization, Riyadh has taken unmistakable steps toward it. Secret meetings with Israeli officials, leaked plans to join the Abraham Accords, and softening of media rhetoric around Israel all point in one direction: normalization is not a question of “if,” but “when.”
The Saudi regime hopes to frame this shift as part of a broader “modernization” strategy, but to millions across the Arab world, it reads as nothing less than betrayal. These overtures come while Israel continues its military operations in Gaza, expands settlements in the West Bank, and intensifies its crackdown on Palestinians. To normalize relations in this context is to turn a blind eye to war crimes, apartheid policies, and an ongoing siege.
Popular Rejection: A Kingdom Divided
Despite the regime’s best efforts to frame normalization as progress, polls and reports consistently show that the Saudi public remains overwhelmingly opposed to any recognition of Israel. Support for the Palestinian cause is not simply ideological—it is tied to questions of justice, regional identity, and shared resistance against oppression.
But in today’s Saudi Arabia, public opinion carries little weight. Dissent is crushed, speech is criminalized, and digital surveillance is weaponized against critics. Those who oppose normalization, even quietly, risk imprisonment or worse.
A Risky Gamble: Tying the Kingdom to Tel Aviv and Trump
In its desperate pursuit of security guarantees and political legitimacy, the Saudi leadership is aligning itself with not only Israel but also former U.S. President Donald Trump and his political network—figures who have openly mocked the kingdom in the past and shown little regard for Arab rights.
This alignment is not without risks. Any escalation in Israel’s war on Palestinians will expose Riyadh’s complicity. Any shift in U.S. power dynamics could leave Saudi Arabia stranded. The more the kingdom ties its future to the whims of Western governments and Israeli interests, the less agency it will retain in charting its own destiny.
Selling Palestine to Buy Time
Saudi Arabia is at a crossroads. It can either stand firm with the Palestinian people, as it has long claimed to do, or it can continue selling out the cause—piece by piece—in hopes of short-term stability and international approval. But history has shown that those who betray their principles for power often end up with neither.
