Watan – In a recent revelation, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman informed the Biden administration of Saudi Arabia’s decision to halt all normalization discussions with Israel. This comes as the “Hoover Institute for Studies” affiliated with Stanford University disclosed that a significant majority of Saudis oppose normalization with Israel.
According to the institute, relying on statements from Saudi officials, 70% of the Saudi population opposes normalization with Israel. Among them, 20% strongly oppose the agreement, and an alarming 2% might be willing to politically mobilize, and potentially even resist the agreement.
The institute’s report suggests that countries in the Gulf, notably Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have deemed 20th-century “resistance ideologies” as unproductive. These ideologies often resulted in brutality, regression, and often chaos, prompting a shift towards policies emphasizing national interest.
The report also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s aspirations to become a major player in East-West relations, aiming to be a global hub for trade, logistics, technological advancement, industrial and military production, and a leading tourist destination.
However, there’s a significant obstacle to achieving normalization. The report suggests that the majority of Saudi citizens are not keen on peace with Israel. Some estimates within the Saudi government suggest that up to 70% belong to this group. Furthermore, 20% of them strongly oppose the agreement, and 2% might be willing to resist the agreement, potentially even violently.
The report concludes that, unlike Israeli Prime Ministers or President Biden, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would be taking a significant personal risk by signing a peace agreement, reminiscent of the risks once taken by President Sadat, who later paid with his life.