The US has asked its Middle East allies Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize diplomatic relations. They cited similar agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.
For the conclusion of this document, Saudi Arabia and Israel worked out a “basic framework” with the US acting as a mediator. President Biden hopes in this way to limit China’s role in the Middle East and, on the contrary, to win a good place for the US and himself during elections upcoming in 2024.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters the following:
All sides have hammered out, I think, a basic framework for what, you know, what we might be able to drive at.
He also agreed that, as with any agreement, everyone will have to make some sacrifices, compromises.
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, recently said that the two sides were getting closer, as did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Saudi Arabia has expressed a desire to develop a civilian nuclear programme in exchange for normalization of relations with Israel, as well as security guarantees from the US. Thus, Saudi Arabia sent its first delegation to the West Bank in three decades to reassure Palestinians of their security despite close ties with Israel.
“The Palestinian matter is a fundamental pillar,” Sudairi, the new non-resident ambassador to the Palestinians, said after meeting top Palestinian diplomat Riyad al-Maliki in Ramallah for talks and to present his credentials.
The Palestinians have also expressed that their interests must be taken into account in any deal, saying there can be no peace in the Middle East without a two-state solution.
It is not yet clear exactly what concessions Israel will agree to and what Saudi Arabia will do to ensure the security of the Palestinians within the borders of its deal.
