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Israel visited in the dynamics of the Middle East as Trump Saudi Arabia

Israel visited in the dynamics of the Middle East as Trump Saudi Arabia

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US President Donald Trump will meet Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on Tuesday. An extended meeting in Riad includes Mahmoud Abbas, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. For Israel, this development is worrying on several fronts.

Abbas is not present because he insisted to come. Rather, he was invited by the crown prince. He will be part of a larger group of Arab leaders who meet the US President during his visit to Saudi Arabia.

This invitation is a conscious step that should accept critical regional problems directly in front of Trump. The Crown Prince sends a message: Despite Israel, PA can try to do this, not be avoided.

It's like Salman says: Do you want to talk to us? We are open to it. Do you want trading and large offers? Absolutely. To be clear, there is also a political dimension: there is no bypass around Ramallah. Abbas is part of the delegation. He is one of us. You have to see the region as we do, not how the Israelis presents it.

This message refers to shape and the White House has not taken care of it. It wasn't expected either. Trump does not appear from the development – and that is exactly the problem of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio meets Saudi -arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Riad, Saudi -Arabia, February 17, 2025. (Credit: Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool)

The facts are clear: Trump will meet Abbas during his regional tour, but not Netanyahu.

The Saudi carbon on Abbas' participation is not just a home signal or a gesture of the wider Arab world. It reflects the changing regional political and security -relevant dynamics and does not work in favor of Israel.

The Saudi demands, which were initially levied in response to the Israel Hamas War, have continued to escalate in the past few weeks.

Two important decisions from the United States contributed to this: the move to end military operations against the Houthis, despite their continuing ballistic rocket attacks on Israel and the advance of driving large US saudi agreements without conditioning them in normalization with Israel.

Regardless of Trump's intentions, the regional message is unmistakable: America resigns and leaves Israel to manage his own threats. The United States is no longer Israel's “iron dome”. That is the current reality, whatever someone may say.

Trump's Randing reduces Israel's relevance in the region

The regional position of Israel has deteriorated. Unlike before October 7, 2023, normalization with Israel now requires tangible returns, not vague or symbolic gestures. Even slogans were over the capacity of Netanyahu in 2025.

In this changing landscape, the Crown Prince faces challenges in relation to its image. He is criticized growing to actively pursue Israel even without normalization.

Earlier remarks he made continues to draw the exam and current events in Gaza – viewed by many in the Arab world as a genocide – only increase the pressure on him. He has to prove solidarity with the Arabic cause, not just the economic orientation with Washington.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fokxu9n4jfc

Abbas' invitation also serves another purpose. A photo of the Palestinian leader together with the Arabic heads of state and the US President could offer the political cover of the crown prince-a symbolic gesture that a US Saudi deal in Arab public opinion legitimizes.

This is the underlying point – and it is no longer about Israel. Who in the region would take into account in Israel if even the US President appears triggered, be it in relation to the Houthi threat or the Saudi deal?

In the Middle East, weakness is quickly noticed. Egypt neither hurries to approve a new Israeli ambassador, nor does it send one according to Tel Aviv. This is no coincidence.

Trump, who acts according to a pragmatic and transactional approach, may not recognize the damage that Israel is caused in terms of image and strategy.

If normalization is no longer a condition for the US Saud tie, the role of Israel decreases. Riad can receive trade and possibly nuclear agreements without having to talk about Israel.

Israel's diplomatic relevance slips. His reputation is at a historical low. Netanyahu has no convincing offer for a US president who focuses on the results.

Trump pushes his priorities forward – and that is exactly what is important.

Little Trump means whether Abbas is available in Riyadh or not. Netanyah's opinion either. The American president has not changed his attitude. His priorities and methods remain consistent. That Israelis are surprised – that is her problem, not be.

Trump expects partnerships to bring concrete advantages. This view shaped his first term. In this case, Jared Kushner led this to the Abraham agreements. That was a measurable success and convinced Trump.

Today, however, Israel has no new initiative to offer. A central player shifted his role to a distant observer.



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