Shattered Peace

The October 7 atrocities and war crimes committed against Israel by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists has frozen the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Now, the future of Saudi-Israeli relations may well depend on the outcome of Israel’s war against Hamas.

Host Cliff May is joined by top experts Bernard Haykel and Mark Dubowitz to discuss the status of Saudi-Israeli normalization efforts on October 6 versus now; how close the U.S. was to fostering a deal; the likelihood of those talks resuming; and why these normalization efforts motivated Tehran to unleash Hamas on October 7.

They consider day-after-the-war scenarios and what role the Saudis might take on in Gaza and the West Bank.

They also unpack Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 —which extends beyond economics to Saudi nation-building — very different from the Islamist vision and ambitions of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Bernard Haykel

Bernard is a professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University. His research focuses on the “political and social tensions that arise from questions about religious identity and authority” with a particular emphasis on Islam, history, and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. His books include “Saudi Arabia in Transition” and “Revival and Reform in Islam.”

Mark Dubowitz

Mark is FDD’s chief executive officer. He has conducted extensive research in Saudi Arabia and in Israel and on (not in!) the Islamic Republic of Iran. Indeed, he has been both sanctioned and threatened by Tehran’s rulers. He has also been sanctioned by Russia and blacklisted by Turkey.