Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has told US lawmakers that he could be assassinated if he pursues normalization of ties with Israel, citing the example of Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat, who was killed for striking a peace deal with Israel.
According to a report in Politico, MBS stressed the need for a true path to a Palestinian state in any normalization deal, citing the importance of addressing the “most pressing issue of justice in our region” during his tenure as the keeper of Islam’s holy sites.
The report also stated that the normalization deal would include multiple US commitments to Saudi Arabia, including security guarantees, aid on a civilian nuclear program, and economic investment in areas such as technology.
However, Israel is not in favor of a Palestinian state being included in the pact, which has raised concerns about the deal’s viability. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud has also emphasized that normalization of ties with Israel cannot occur without resolving the Palestinian issue.