Herzog Calls for Direct Peace Talks with Saudi Arabia

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has publicly called for direct peace negotiations with Saudi Arabia, describing a formal agreement as one of his central hopes for the Middle East. In a rare interview with the Saudi-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya, conducted in Jerusalem and aired on Thursday, July 16, 2026, Herzog praised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and expressed a desire for official meetings with the kingdom's leadership.

Herzog framed the potential for normalization as a historic opportunity for broader regional dialogue, specifically between Jerusalem and Mecca. He argued that Jews and Muslims should be able to live together peacefully, building a region defined by cooperation. The president pointed to the existing Abraham Accords with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco as a successful model for what expanded peace could achieve.

This diplomatic outreach occurs against a backdrop of stalled negotiations. Prior to the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023, the United States had been brokering talks toward a potential normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Those discussions were suspended following the Hamas-led attacks and Israel's subsequent...