Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has officially rejected an Israeli initiative to conduct joint military operations against the Houthis in Yemen. According to details published by the influential Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, through Washington's diplomatic mediation, attempted to secure Riyadh's consent for military actions in the Red Sea, but Riyadh flatly refused.
The Essence of the Rejected Proposal and US Mediation
The Israeli side sought to involve Saudi Arabia in a regional security framework to suppress the Yemeni rebels attacking commercial shipping lanes. Attempts to establish coordination were carried out through closed diplomatic channels with the United States acting as a mediator. Nevertheless, Riyadh declined to align militarily, having assessed the potential reputational and strategic risks of such a move.
Strategic Reasons for Riyadh's Refusal
The Crown Prince's refusal is dictated by strict regional security imperatives. Participating in military actions against a Muslim group hand-in-hand with Israel would deal a severe blow to the kingdom's leadership status in the Islamic world. Furthermore, the country's leadership seeks to protect its own territory from a renewal of direct missile and drone strikes and to preserve the fragile peace process with the Houthis themselves.
Position on the Palestinian Issue and Regional Balance
Against this backdrop, Saudi diplomacy reaffirmed its unwavering foundational stance: full normalization of relations and any military or strategic alliances with Israel are impossible until an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital is officially established. This demonstrates the kingdom's prioritization of national interests over external pressure.
Contradictory Data
It is worth noting that the international information space contains differing aspects regarding Riyadh and Washington's relationship over the Houthis. Some sources previously reported mirror situations where Saudi Arabia itself had asked the US for harsher military measures against the Yemeni rebels, receiving a restrained response. However, Mohammed bin Salman's current refusal of a direct military partnership with Israel highlights the monarchy's commitment to pursuing an independent and cautious policy.
