President Isaac Herzog used a rare interview with Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya to deliver an unusually direct appeal to Riyadh, declaring that peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia remains one of his central hopes for the Middle East.

Speaking from the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, Herzog praised Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and said Israelis want to see a genuine rapprochement between the two nations. He called for direct Israeli-Saudi negotiations supported by the United States and expressed hope that he would eventually meet the kingdom’s leadership officially.

“It is my dream to see peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia,” Herzog said.

The president framed normalization as something larger than a diplomatic transaction, describing the opportunity as a potential “dialogue between Jerusalem and Mecca.” Jews and Muslims, he argued, should be able to live together peacefully and build a region defined by cooperation rather than perpetual war.

The interview’s venue was significant. Saudi Arabia remains the most consequential Arab country outside the Abraham Accords, and official relations with Riyadh could transform Israel’s regional position, unlock major economic opportunities and strengthen a broader coalition against Iran and its terrorist proxies.

Israel and Saudi Arabia were moving toward a possible U.S.-brokered agreement before Hamas’s October 7 massacre and the war that followed. However, Riyadh continues to insist that normalization will require a clear and credible path toward an independent Palestinian state. A Saudi source reiterated that condition in May, indicating that Herzog’s outreach does not yet represent an imminent diplomatic breakthrough.

Herzog also addressed Palestinian civilian suffering in Gaza, saying his heart aches for every innocent person killed and stressing that civilian deaths are neither Israel’s objective nor its desire. Gazans, he said, deserve a good life. The comments allowed Herzog to express compassion for civilians while presenting Israel’s broader message to an Arab audience after years of war against Hamas terrorists.

The president’s vision extended beyond Saudi Arabia. Herzog said he dreams of traveling by car to Beirut and visiting Damascus, arguing that peace with Lebanon and Syria should become major regional objectives. His comments come as Israel and Lebanon engage in direct talks and Syria’s leadership signals limited openness to a new relationship, although serious security disputes remain unresolved.

Herzog also discussed Iran, saying he was not surprised that Tehran violated its memorandum of understanding with Washington. He accused the Iranian regime of repeatedly breaking agreements and manipulating their terms, while expressing confidence in President Donald Trump and welcoming the firm American response to Iran’s violations.

He notably voiced respect for Vice President JD Vance despite Vance’s recent accusations that figures inside Israel were attempting to undermine American diplomacy with Tehran. Herzog avoided escalating the dispute, instead emphasizing the strategic importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship as the confrontation with Iran continues.