Bin Salman Fears Assassination Over Israel Deal

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is feeling the heat as he navigates the tricky waters of normalizing relations with Israel. There are whispers of fear about his safety if he pushes ahead without getting something substantial for the Palestinians.

In conversations with US lawmakers, he’s voiced real concerns, even referencing Anwar Sadat, the former Egyptian president who was assassinated after signing a peace deal back in 1981. MBS, as he’s often called, has pointedly asked what the US did to protect Sadat.

Despite these heavy worries, he seems determined to keep moving forward. Part of the proposed agreement includes US security guarantees and assistance with a civilian nuclear program, which is pretty significant. But there’s one big hitch: Israel is hesitant to outline a clear path to Palestinian statehood, something that’s very important to MBS and many in the Arab world.

A source familiar with the discussions said that MBS understands deeply how vital the Palestinian issue is to their people, stating that the public “cares very deeply about this.” He feels the weight of his role as the guardian of Islam’s holy sites and worries that not addressing this would jeopardize his standing.

Complicating matters further, there are reports suggesting that MBS is using his assassination fears as a bargaining chip, hoping to push the US to persuade Israel for a deal more aligned with his interests. However, time isn’t on his side; it seems unlikely that a deal will be reached before the upcoming presidential elections in the US this November.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has indicated that Saudi Arabia is seeking to fully recognize Israel in exchange for security assurances from Washington. Just recently, the White House resumed offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, lifting a ban that was in place due to human rights concerns. This move appears tied to ongoing efforts to stabilize the situation in Gaza and counter potential threats from Iran.