Reports have indicated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told visiting American lawmakers that he fears he could be assassinated due to his efforts to normalize relations with Israel.

According to a Politico report published on Wednesday, citing three people familiar with the conversations, the Crown Prince indicated that he still intends to move forward with establishing relations with the Jewish state, despite fearing that it could cost him his life.

Bin Salman is said to have referenced the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat at least once, who was killed by Islamist terrorists in 1981, two years after signing a peace treaty with Israel. Bin Salman asked his interlocutors what the United States did to protect Sadat following the historic peace agreement.

The Crown Prince was reported to have cited the assassination threat in explaining why any normalization deal between Riyadh and Tel Aviv must include "a genuine path to a Palestinian state," which is publicly opposed by the current Israeli government.

Politico quoted a source familiar with the discussions saying: "He put it this way: 'The Saudis care deeply about this issue, and the street across the Middle East cares deeply about this issue, and my role as the custodian of Islam's holy places will not be safe if I do not address the most pressing issue of justice in our region.'

However, the report stated that Mohammed bin Salman "appears determined to seal the massive deal with the United States and Israel," which he sees as "crucial for the future of his country."

It is still unclear when the Crown Prince discussed the possibility of his assassination. Sources in the U.S. Congress have indicated that the prospect of a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia before the presidential elections in November has become nearly impossible, with no time for the Senate to ratify the American-Saudi part of the deal before its recess.

In an article in Politico revealing the discussions, senior foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi suggested that the Crown Prince "is saying his life is in danger to push U.S. officials to increase pressure on Israel to comply with a deal he favors."

Toosi wrote: "Even before the Gaza war, Mohammed bin Salman was gambling with the idea of establishing diplomatic relations with Israel."

Now, as she wrote, normalization could cost the Crown Prince the support of Saudi youth, who "were energized by the first major conflict between Israelis and Palestinians that many of them have witnessed in their lives."

Israeli-Saudi normalization is a long-awaited goal for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, the Prime Minister has repeatedly rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state in the future, making any such deal complex and difficult.

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that Saudi Arabia wants "full recognition of Israel" in exchange for security guarantees from Washington and the establishment of a civilian nuclear facility.

The White House confirmed on Monday that it has resumed offensive arms sales to Saudi Arabia, lifting a ban imposed in 2021 over human rights concerns. The resumption is seen as part of Washington's efforts to enlist Riyadh's help in securing a ceasefire in Gaza and countering a potential Iranian attack on Israel.

Before the war in Gaza, normalization appeared on the verge of happening. Two Israeli ministers made unprecedented public visits to the desert kingdom just days before the war broke out on October 7, when thousands of fighters led by Hamas surged into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.