Evangelical Leader Says Saudi Crown Prince Ready to Recognize Israel Immediately

Before Oct. 7, Saudi Arabia and Israel had discussed possible Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords.

By Shula Rosen

Evangelical leader Mike Evans said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman privately told him he was prepared to recognize Israel immediately, but that King Salman remained opposed, Evans told The Jerusalem Post during a visit to Israel on Monday.

Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion organization and a longtime evangelical ally of President Trump, said he held a two-hour meeting with the Saudi crown prince that was also attended by the Saudi foreign minister and MBS’s brother.

According to Evans, both the crown prince and his brother expressed support for establishing relations with Israel.

“When I talked to the crown prince, he told me that he would acknowledge Israel today,” Evans said. “But he said his problem was his father.”

Evans described the conversation while speaking with The Jerusalem Post during his current trip to Israel. The newspaper said it could not independently verify Evans’ account or the remarks attributed to the Saudi leadership.

The comments came as President Trump said Monday that countries involved in negotiations to end the war in Iran should also be required to join the Abraham Accords as part of a broader regional settlement.

Writing on Truth Social, President Trump referred to a Saturday “phone summit” involving leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey focused on ceasefire efforts and diplomacy surrounding Iran.

“Once a peace agreement is in place,” President Trump wrote, “It should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords.”

President Trump said some countries could decline participation but argued that most states involved in the negotiations should normalize relations with Israel.

“It may be possible that one or two have a reason for not doing so, and that will be accepted, but most should be ready, willing, and able to make this Settlement with Iran a far more Historic Event than it would, otherwise, be,” he wrote.

“It should start with the immediate signing by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and everybody else should follow suit. If they don’t, they should not be part of this Deal in that it shows bad intention,” President Trump wrote.

Before Oct. 7, Saudi Arabia and Israel had discussed possible Saudi participation in the accords, although Riyadh maintained that Israel would need to take credible steps toward establishing a Palestinian state before normalization could proceed.