Episode Overview

Podcast: Call Me Back – with Dan Senor
Episode: Is Saudi Normalization Dead? (INSIDE Call Me Back sneak peek)
Date: January 24, 2026
Guests: Dan Senor (Host), Dr. Tal Becker (Guest – ARC Media Contributor, longtime Israeli peace negotiator and advisor)

This episode features a candid, behind-the-scenes segment from the members-only "Inside Call Me Back" series. Dan Senor and Dr. Tal Becker dig deeply into recent setbacks in the normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia, what’s driving the shifting rhetoric in the Gulf, and broader implications for Israeli and US interests. Listener questions drive the discussion, leading to nuanced insights unavailable in public-facing conversations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of Israel–Saudi Normalization

Listener Question: Does it really matter if Saudi Arabia signs on to the Abraham Accords, and how significant is the current shift in Saudi posture? ([03:16])

"Normalization Is Dead" – Is It Overstated?

• Tal Becker pushes back on fatalistic headlines:

  “Amit is brilliant, but I have the benefit of not being a journalist, so I don’t have to come up with one-line headlines. I think that the statement ‘normalization is dead’ is very much too far reaching in this context.”
  — Tal Becker, 03:16

• While Saudi media and official talking points have turned more negative and hostile towards normalization, Becker emphasizes this occurs within a tumultuous regional dynamic—particularly growing friction between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Core Strategic Interests Still Align

• Becker maintains long-term alignment:

  “The core strategic interests of Israel and Saudi Arabia still align...but there are a set of obstacles making this process more complicated.”
  — Tal Becker, 03:54

• Post–October 7, Israel is perceived more negatively in the Arab world, and the “Palestinian component” is now a larger Saudi concern.
• Saudi leaders are wary of being seen as too close to Israel if renewed conflict breaks out with Iran, fearing regional blowback.

New Complications: UAE–Saudi Competition

• Beyond Israel–Palestine, rising tension between the Gulf powers themselves (notably over Yemen and Sudan) exacerbates challenges:

  “The Saudis are essentially criticizing the UAE in the context of the Abraham Accords as part of that broader competition...Is this tension structural and fundamental, or is it tactical?”
  — Tal Becker, 05:19

• UAE and Saudi competition includes vying for Western investment and cultural dominance (the "Dubai model"), but many dynamics are likely tactical.

Israeli & U.S. Interests

• Both Israel and the U.S. have a strong stake in Gulf powers reconciling tensions, as regional cooperation is seen as vital to broader peace and prosperity:

  “From an Israeli perspective, we certainly want to have the best relations possible with the Emiratis and with the Saudis. They are potential partners for a much, much better Middle East...”
  — Tal Becker, 05:58

2. Is It a Crisis? Perspective on the Moment

• Dan Senor clarifies: Is this a five-alarm fire for normalization efforts?

  “Okay, so it’s not a five-alarm fire as far as your perspective.”
  — Dan Senor, 06:18

• Becker’s reply:

  “I don’t think we know yet...it is in our interest that these two core players in the Gulf and in the Middle East figure out a way to reconcile those tensions...”
  — Tal Becker, 06:21

• The senses is that these frictions are “probably more a tactical thing than a strategic one,” so normalization prospects are not dead, just complicated.

3. Listener Questions: The Palestinian Future (Preview Only)

([06:48])

• The episode teases a listener question about whether a majority of younger Palestinians now believe in a one-state solution rather than two states, and whether Palestinian leadership might pursue that path. (Detailed discussion is behind the paywall.)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tal Becker on news headlines and diplomacy:

  “Amit is brilliant, but I have the benefit of not being a journalist, so I don’t have to come up with one-line headlines. I think that the statement ‘normalization is dead’ is very much too far reaching in this context.”
  [03:16]

• On Israeli interests and hope for Gulf reconciliation:

  “From an Israeli perspective, we very much hope that that element of it [UAE–Saudi tensions] can be resolved as soon as possible.”
  [06:00]

• Senor cross-checks the urgency:

  “Okay, so it’s not a five-alarm fire as far as your perspective.”
  [06:18]

• On whether the conflict is temporary or long-term:

  “Is this tension between the UAE and Saudi Arabia structural and fundamental or is it tactical?”
  [05:32]

Important Timestamps & Segments

• [01:26] — Introduction to Dr. Tal Becker and his background.
• [03:16] — Is “Normalization Dead”? Responding to news cycles and shifting Saudi sentiment.
• [05:19] — UAE–Saudi Arabia competition: strategic or tactical concerns?
• [06:18] — Assessing the urgency: Is the situation truly dire?
• [06:48] — Teaser: Young Palestinians and changes in attitudes towards statehood (full answer behind paywall).

Tone & Style

• The conversation is frank, analytical, and deeply informed by diplomatic experience.
• Both Senor and Becker maintain a measured, pragmatic tone, careful not to sensationalize or minimize.
• Listener questions guide the discussion, creating a sense of real-time interaction and openness to complex perspectives.

Summary in Closing

This sneak peek reveals that while headlines declaring “normalization is dead” capture current anxieties, the underlying strategic interests between Israel and Saudi Arabia remain. The rise of UAE–Saudi rivalry and post–October 7 sensitivities complicate the process, but experienced observers like Tal Becker retain cautious optimism. The segment ends by previewing a seismic generational shift among Palestinians—setting up further deep dives for subscribers.