Relations Unlikely?
"Of course, [the Americans] want to have a plan and they would like to revisit the normalisation efforts. But this administration doesn't resonate well with the Saudis because the Americans have been talking negatively more than positively towards the Saudis".
"The Americans told the Saudis that they wanted to pull out the rest of their advanced missile defence systems and Patriot batteries, despite the country constantly being attacked by the Houthi rebels in Yemen", said a source in the Gulf, who is close to the highest echelons of the Saudi government.
"Riyadh has asked for solutions and demanded that Washington present them with alternatives, especially given that the Americans threatened to apply sanctions if the Saudis dared to approach the Russians and purchase their defence systems".
The Palestinian Issue
"The Saudis want the two sides to reach a solution, but what they also say is that they will be willing to start the process with Israel if there is a mere promise that they are committed to resolving the conflict".
"Saudi Arabia houses two of the holiest Muslim sites. It is the leader of the Muslim world, and as such it will not be able to normalise ties with Israel without having something concrete in return".
"Israel will need to deliver, meet the demands and make concessions if it wants relations with the Saudis to work", says Al Ibrahim.
"If it does give in, it will not only normalise ties with the Saudis but with the entire Muslim world. It will attract major investments and will secure a better future not only for itself but also for other countries in this region. Painful concessions will be worth it", he summed up.