Two Saudi and four Western sources told that Saudi Arabia is now pursuing a more modest military cooperation arrangement with Washington, abandoning its goal of an extensive defense treaty in exchange for normalizing relations with Israel. Riyadh changed its stance on Palestinian statehood early this year to finalize a comprehensive mutual security pact, informing Washington that the Gulf kingdom might normalize relations with Israel if it publicly committed to a two-state solution. But according to two Saudi and three Western sources, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has once again made recognition of Israel contingent on it taking decisive action to establish a Palestinian state, as public outrage over Israel’s military actions in Gaza is at an all-time high in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still keen to achieve normalization with the Saudi kingdom as a significant turning point and an indication of wider acceptance in the Arab world.
Saudi-US defense talks overview
He realizes that any move toward statehood would split his ruling coalition, they added, and he faces strong domestic resistance to making any concessions to the Palestinians in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas assault. According to the sources, Riyadh and Washington seek to finalize a relatively modest defense agreement before President Joe Biden departs the White House in January, as both presidents are now constrained by their domestic power bases. A significant new coalition that was previously thought to be unrealistic seems to be forming as Middle Eastern nations attempt to realign themselves to confront new perceived threats. The conservative Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is indicating that it can reach a historic peace agreement with Israel, which is still referred to as the “Zionist Enemy” in some Saudi texts. The phrase “the deal of the century,” which was popularized by Egyptian General-turned-President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and widely used by Arab media, best describes what’s happening in the area despite the abundance of catchphrases for the new arrangement. It is believed that peace would be restored to the once unstable area when all Arab countries ultimately join Israel as friends.
Israel’s role in negotiations
The deal would encourage Saudi Arabia to invest in cutting-edge technologies, including drone defense. In addition to providing training, logistics, and cyber security assistance, the United States would expand its presence in Riyadh and may send a Patriot missile battalion to improve integrated deterrence and missile defense.
However, it would not be the type of legally enforceable convention on mutual defense that would compel the American military to defend the largest oil exporter in the world from an outside assault. However, Donald Trump‘s imminent ascension to the White House further complicates the situation. Trump is a strong buddy of the Saudi crown prince, even though his proposal to end the Israeli-Palestinian problem does not include any provisions for Palestinian independence or sovereignty. Some Arab and Palestinian leaders are concerned that Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who was the mastermind behind the “Deal of the Century” and a close friend of the crown prince, would eventually convince him to back the proposal.
Key issues behind the stalemate
Saudi Arabia has recently decided to restrict the dangers it faces to Iran and the political opposition of Sunni Islamists. These are also seen as the two dangers that Israel faces. As a result, the two nations have formed an unexpected partnership. “For the first time, Saudi Arabian interests and Israel are almost parallel,” said Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a prominent member of the Al Saud royal family. It’s amazing. The Middle East is already seeing a cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The idea of Iran having nuclear weapons terrifies Israel. Since the Arab Spring, Saudi Arabia has made fighting organized Islamist opposition a top priority. When Arab regimes face internal difficulties, they also know that warming relations with Israel is a good way to garner support from the United States and the West against local opposition by projecting an image of being “moderate,” “open,” and “tolerant” words that are now highly prized by Arab regimes struggling for survival. Following the overthrow of his father by Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar demonstrated even more openness to the West by establishing limited communication with Israel in 1996.
Saudi Arabia’s strategic decision
The United Arab Emirates, Riyadh’s closest friend in the Gulf, welcomed the first “unconventional” Israeli diplomatic presence, further enhancing the timing of Saudi-Israeli engagement. It is commonly assumed that the mission, which collaborates with the UAE embassy in Washington on worldwide renewable energy, serves as a conduit for interactions between Saudi Arabia and Israel.