The Saudis have sent a message to Israel that there will be “major implications in all fields” if it annexes any part of the West Bank, Channel 12 reports. They did not delineate what steps they might take, but they could declare the prospect of Saudi-Israeli normalization dead or once again close their airspace to Israeli flights, which they opened in 2022, the TV report says.
Annexation could also harm the under-the-radar security and trade relations between the two countries. The report also says annexation risks endangering the Abraham Accords.
People around US President Donald Trump are indicating that they do not wish to see annexation, the report adds. “It’s the last thing they need,” especially after Israel’s September 9 strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar, the report says.
Saudi officials will discuss how the war in Gaza can be brought to an end, and the scenarios for the “day after” in Gaza, with Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly this week, along with leaders from the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey, according to the outlet.
Trump will also hold a separate session with Gulf leaders — from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait — who want to hear his stance on the Qatar strike.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting today to discuss possible responses to Western countries recognizing a Palestinian state this week. Potential responses include changing the classification of parts of the West Bank’s Area A to Area B, meaning from Palestinian security and civil control to Israeli security control and Palestinian civil control, and parts of Area B to become Area C, meaning under Israeli civil and security control.
Other responses could include closing the consulates of some countries that recognize an independent state of Palestine, particularly that of France.
Far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir were reportedly not invited to the meeting.
In the meeting, Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer stressed that no matter what, full coordination with the US must be maintained.
As such, no decision will be made until Netanyahu returns from his meeting with Trump next week, the prime minister said in a video statement earlier this evening.
The Channel 12 report says Netanyahu told visiting US Secretary of State Mario Rubio last week that he is under coalition pressure to annex Area C, which constitutes 60 percent of the West Bank.
Senior European officials have indicated to Israel that further states are gearing up to recognize Palestine, and have warned that Israeli annexation would be considered “collective punishment” of the Palestinians, and would endanger the Abraham Accords, the same TV channel says.
“Israel will be making a mistake if it responds to our recognition [of a Palestinian state] with harsh diplomatic steps,” it quotes European officials telling Israel. “It would be unfortunate if we were dragged into a further response. We will not take annexation lying down.”
“If Netanyahu and his government are interested in destroying the stable thing we have built in the Middle East, they will bear the consequences.”
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