Netanyahu wants Saudi Arabia, Indonesia normalisation to boost re-election bid: reports

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping to sign normalisation deals with Saudi Arabia and Indonesia before holding early elections for the Knesset in June 2026, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported.

The Israeli leader aims to strengthen his position ahead of the elections, which are officially slated for November of that year, according to i24 News .

Kan noted that the PM's chances of sealing a deal with Riyadh are considered "reasonable", while his chances of signing  a similar agreement with Jakarta appear "low". The report added that Netanyahu would be satisfied with a deal with just one of the two countries.

Saudi Arabia holds huge leverage within the Arab and Muslim world through its economic influence and hosting of Islam's holiest sites, while Indonesia - the world's most populous Muslim-majority state - is widely considered an emerging economic powerhouse.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said in February that it would not normalise ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state, amid growing outrage over Israel's genocide in Gaza.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emphasizes that this unwavering position is non-negotiable and not subject to compromises," the statement read.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump expressed his hope that more states would join the so-called "Abraham Accords" by normalising ties with Israel, singling out Saudi Arabia.

"I hope to see Saudi Arabia go in, and I hope to see others go in. I think when Saudi Arabia goes in, everybody goes in," Trump told Fox News.

In 2020, Trump brokered  Israel normalisation agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Morocco and Sudan later followed with similar deals.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is reportedly considering ties with Israel if Tel Aviv drops its opposition to Jakarta's joining of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to a 2024 report by Yedioth Ahronoth.

Earlier this year, it was reported by Israel's Channel 12 that Indonesia was among several nations in talks with Israel regarding facilitating the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza.

In September, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto delivered  a speech in which he said:

"We must have an independent Palestine, but we must also recognize and guarantee the safety and security of Israel. Only then can we have real peace: peace without hate, peace without suspicion."

Israeli media reported that the Prabowo was due to visit Israel this week - reports which were quickly denied by the Israeli foreign ministry.