RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump called on Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel during a speech to the oil-rich kingdom’s leaders on Tuesday — saying “you’ll be greatly honoring me” by doing so. Trump frequently referred to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by name during his speech as the country’s de facto ruler watched from the front row.

President Donald Trump asked Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to fully normalize relations with Israel in exchange for sanctions relief. In a readout of the pivotal Wednesday meeting for Syria, Trump encouraged Sharaa to sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel,

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said Riyadh was seeking to “de-escalate” the situation in the Middle East and “end the war in Gaza.”

Trump said during his trip to Saudi Arabia he wants the Gulf kingdom to join the Abraham Accords and normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.

When Donald Trump lands in Riyadh, he will be greeted with opulent ceremonies, gilded palaces and the prospect of major investments. But the war in Gaza denies him one goal he craves: Saudi-Israel normalization.

Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt predicted it is likely Saudi Arabia will work with Israel in the near future, though he suggested such efforts would not take place until peace is achieved in the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. has agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142 billion, the White House announced Tuesday, as President Donald Trump kicked off his Middle East trip in Riyadh. Described by the Trump administration as "the largest defense cooperation agreement" in history,

Saudi Arabia is of key diplomatic importance to the Trump White House, especially amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Trump hopes to restart his first-term effort to normalize relations between the Middle East's major powers, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Trump's Abraham Accords effort led to Sudan, the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco agreeing to normalize relations with Israel.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have discussed Riyadh's potential purchase of Lockheed's F-35 jets, two sources briefed on discussions told Reuters, referring to a military aircraft that the kingdom has reportedly been interested in for years.