Saudi Arabia postpones Israel deal amid war, engages with Iran: Report
India TodaySaudi Arabia is putting US-backed plans to normalise ties with Israel on ice, two sources familiar with Riyadh's thinking said, signalling a rapid rethinking of its foreign policy priorities as war escalates between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas. The first source familiar with Saudi thinking said Washington had pressed Riyadh this week to condemn the Hamas attack but said Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan pushed back. A Saudi statement said the crown prince told Raisi "the kingdom is exerting maximum effort to engage with all international and regional parties to halt the ongoing escalation", underling Riyadh's move to contain the crisis. Asked about Raisi's call with the crown prince, a senior US State Department official said Washington was in "constant contact with Saudi leaders". The first source familiar with Saudi thinking said Gulf states, including those with Israeli ties, were worried Iran could be drawn into a conflict that would affect them.