The Kingdom is under the spotlight in international press this morning, discussing what Trump’s Gaza bombshell means for Saudi-Israel talks.

A complicated path forward:The Washington Post argues that Trump’s talk of a US takeover of Gaza has likely complicated the push for a normalization agreement between Saudi and Israel. While it is too early to assess if the blunt proposal will lead to lasting damage to Trump’s ties with the Kingdom, Saudi’s public “instant critique” in response to Trump’s proposal reflects a firmer stance than usual, insisting on establishment of a Palestinian state rather than a “pathway” to Palestinian statehood, Ali Shihabi, a Saudi businessman, told WaPo.

Trump really stirred the pot this time: The New York Times also pointed out that Washington’s efforts to relieve tensions by framing the displacement as a temporary fix has also seemingly failed to rectify the situation. Saudi royal and ex-senior government official Turki Al Faisal, in an interview with CNN, likened Trump’s proposal to “ethnic cleansing,” promising that the US president “will get an earful from the leadership here.”

A lot to bargain with: An opinion piece in the Financial Times also argues the Kingdom also has lots of pull in the current play of events and holds “key bargaining cards.” Trump is calling on Saudi Arabia for up to USD 1 tn in investments, and also needs Saudi cooperation to lower oil prices. The blows Iran suffered in the region also opened the door for the Kingdom to fill the void in Syria and Lebanon, expanding its regional influence over the past months.

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