FDD
Why Saudi Arabia is turning back to Islamism – and against Israel
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
February 6, 2026

…Vision 2030 – an ambitious plan to diversify Saudi Arabia’s oil-dependent economy, reshape its society, and position the kingdom as a global investment hub – now appears increasingly out of reach. As a result, the crown prince seems to have abandoned the Emirati model of economic transformation – moving from oil rents towards services – and replaced it with a Turkish-style approach: maskingbin  economic trouble with populist appeals to restored Islamic glory, beginning with hostility towards Israel. Saudi Arabia’s shift back towards Islamism may have been inspired by Qatar and Turkey… Meanwhile, Iran is no longer the existential threat that once pushed Riyadh towards Jerusalem. Over the past year, Israel has weakened Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, contributed to the downfall of Tehran’s ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and – in June – directly bruised Iran itself, significantly degrading the regime’s ability to project power across the region. READ MORE