WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Saudi Arabia and Israel are close to finalizing an Abraham Accords-style normalization agreement by the end of this year.
In a detailed interview with TIME magazine on October 15, Trump said talks between the two countries were moving in a “positive direction,” and expressed confidence that Saudi Arabia would lead the process.
“I think we’re very close to the deal,” Trump said. “Saudi Arabia has always played a central role in Middle Eastern peace, and I believe they will lead the way.”
He added that the Gaza conflict and Iran’s influence were once major obstacles, but those issues are “no longer barriers.” When asked directly whether Riyadh would join the Abraham Accords by the end of the year, Trump replied, “Yes, I believe so — they will join.”
The U.S. president also revealed his intention to visit Gaza, though he did not specify a date. On Palestinian leadership, Trump remarked that the Palestinians currently have no clear or visible leadership, saying, “Anyone who steps forward gets killed — it’s a dangerous position.”
Regarding Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Trump said he once considered him “a reasonable man,” but no longer feels the same way.
He also mentioned that he was considering the case of Marwan Barghouti, the imprisoned Palestinian leader in Israel, adding that it was “one of the questions” he had been asked shortly before the interview.
