President Donald Trump, near the end of his first term, led the so-called Abraham Accords in which the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco became the first Arab countries in decades to normalise relations with Israel.

"I think we may have good news, certainly before the end of this year, of a number of more countries that are willing to join that alliance," Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Saudi Arabia was in advanced talks on normalisation, backed by then-president Joe Biden's administration, before October 7, 2023.

Asked about the Saudi position a week after Trump visited Riyadh, Rubio said: "I think there's still a willingness to do it."

"Certain conditions are impediments, October 7 being one of them, but the Saudis have continued to express an interest, as have the Israelis, in reaching that agreement," he said.

Saudi Arabia is considered the ultimate prize by Israel, considering the kingdom's role as the guardian of Islam's two holiest shrines and its influence within the Arab and Islamic world.

But Saudi Arabia has made clear that it cannot normalise relations with Israel until an end to the Gaza war and without movement toward a two-state solution with the Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while enthusiastic about Saudi normalisation, has moved ahead with another major offensive in Gaza, where virtually the whole population has already been displaced.

Netanyahu, who leads the most right-wing Israeli government, is a longtime critic of the creation of a Palestinian state.

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