Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) believes he is at risk of assassination due to his efforts to broker a normalization deal with Israel, according to a report by US magazine Politico.
The crown prince reportedly informed US Congress members that he is endangering his life in pursuit of a comprehensive agreement between Saudi Arabia, the US, and Israel, which includes normalizing relations between the two countries.
The report, citing unnamed sources familiar with the discussions, including a former US official, noted that any potential peace agreement with Israel would require a genuine pathway to establishing a Palestinian state. One source told Politico, “The way he put it was, ‘Saudis care very deeply about this, and the street throughout the Middle East cares deeply about this, and my tenure as the keeper of the holy sites of Islam will not be secure if I don’t address what is the most pressing issue of justice in our region.’”
The crown prince also referenced Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated after negotiating a peace deal with Israel, asking what the US had done to protect Sadat.
He underscored the threats he faces, stressing the importance of including a legitimate path to a Palestinian state in any such agreement, particularly as the Gaza conflict has escalated Arab anger toward Israel.
Despite the risks, the report noted that MBS is determined to pursue the deal with the US and Israel, viewing it as essential for the future of Saudi Arabia.
