No recognition of Israel without Palestinian state, Saudi minister says

Between the lines: Israeli officials said they'd hoped for a warmer reaction to the deal from Saudi Arabia, which has refrained from either praising or criticizing it. The Israeli government hopes Saudi Arabia, a secret ally in Israel's efforts to counter Iran, might follow the UAE in recognizing Israel.

• During a press conference in Berlin with his German counterpart, the Saudi foreign minister also warned that unilateral Israeli steps, like annexing parts of the West Bank, will undermine the chances for peace and a two-state solution.

The big picture: The Israeli government hoped the UAE move would break a diplomatic deadlock among Arab countries, none of which had recognized Israel since Jordan in 1994 and Egypt in 1979.

• A Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said yesterday that the North African country intended to follow the UAE's example, and it was already in talks with Israel.

• But the foreign minister himself then intervened, saying he was "astonished" by the spokesperson's comments, which were "not authorized." The spokesperson was later fired.

Go deeper:

• Israel raises concerns with U.S. about new Saudi nuclear facility
• Netanyahu denies Israel-UAE deal included secret clause on F-35s
• No Israeli annexations in West Bank "for some time," Kushner says