How Netanyahu is leveraging Houthi threat in secret Saudi normalization push

TEL AVIV — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is busy with secret, last-ditch efforts to normalize ties with Saudi Arabia, two senior Israeli political sources told Al-Monitor, hoping the achievement could help his reelection prospects.

Saudi distress

Netanyahu is hoping to capitalize on Riyadh’s recent military losses to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and present Israel as the kingdom’s only reliable regional partner, said the Israeli political sources. They added that Netanyahu has not given up on an agreement with Riyadh, although Saudi Arabia has repeatedly made recognition conditional on Israeli progress toward establishing a Palestinian state.

The sources stated that Israel messaged the Saudis indirectly that it was willing to assist them with intelligence, potentially via military consultations, on how to address the Houthi threat. They believe that Netanyahu is trying to indirectly pressure the Saudis via Washington to advance toward normalization in exchange for Israeli intelligence assistance. Netanyahu could present any such progress to his voters as a personal diplomatic achievement, which the Saudis would not want.