Maariv: Israel on high alert for Bin Salman-Trump meeting
The Israeli Maariv newspaper reported that Israel is in a state of political, security and diplomatic alert in preparation for the upcoming summit next Tuesday between US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Israeli newspaper reported in its report that the upcoming meeting will address pivotal issues related to the future of the Middle East, in addition to the strategic relations between Washington and Riyadh, and their potential impact on the map of regional alliances.
Maariv quoted an Israeli political source as saying that Saudi Arabia is coming to the meeting with “suitcases full of money,” as he put it, with the aim of buying nuclear reactors, F-35 and F-15EX fighter jets, as well as advanced missile defense and attack systems.
The Israeli political source pointed out that these potential deals may contribute to the rapid recovery of the US economy, in exchange for strengthening Saudi defense capabilities.
According to the report, the discussion at the summit focuses on two key issues: responsibility in the Gaza Strip after the end of ongoing operations there, as Washington seeks Saudi Arabia to play a pivotal role in reconstruction and ensuring stability, as a moderate country capable of unifying regional efforts.
Expanding the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia’s formal accession to the normalization process with Israel, in a move that would open the door for other Arab countries – including Syria – to join in the future.
Estimates in Israeli political circles indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is closely following the preparations for the summit, as it may have direct repercussions on his domestic policy and coalition alliances, especially in light of the controversy over the conscription law and the dates of the upcoming elections, in addition to Israeli military movements in Gaza and the northern border.
Maariv described the upcoming meeting as a huge deal being made in Washington and may determine Netanyahu’s political fate.
In a related context, Maariv discussed the visit of Syrian transitional President Ahmed al Sharaa to the White House and his historic meeting with US President Donald Trump, noting that the visit marked a turning point in Syrian-US relations.
In his interview with The Washington Post after the visit, Sharaa said his country was seriously seeking a peace deal with Israel, but stressed that no agreement would be possible without Israel returning to its pre-June 1967 borders.
The Syrian transitional president added that negotiations with Israel are ongoing and direct, stressing that some preliminary understandings have been reached, but made it clear that full Syrian sovereignty over the occupied territories remains an inalienable condition.
He also criticized what he described as Israeli behavior that violates previous agreements, calling for respect for international obligations as a basis for achieving a just peace.
