Main Topic: President Joe Biden's push for normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Key Points:
1. National security adviser Jake Sullivan dispatched to Saudi Arabia for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
2. Talks covered initiatives for a more peaceful Middle East, efforts to end the conflict in Yemen, and hopes to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
3. Brokering a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia is challenging due to the kingdom's stance on recognizing Israel and concerns over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Washington and Riyadh should not support Netanyahu's government in normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia, as Israel's current government is not stable or normal, according to New York Times columnist Tom Friedman.
Influential New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman warns Saudi Arabia against normalizing relations with Israel, stating that it is not possible to normalize relations with a government that is not normal.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is committed to reaching a national agreement on judicial reform in Israel that maintains a balance between the three branches of government, despite opposition from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Saudi Arabia has reportedly withdrawn from talks of normalizing ties with Israel due to the "extremist" nature of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
The Biden administration is pursuing a "grand bargain" in the Middle East, aiming to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia in order to achieve various benefits, including countering Iran and China, strengthening regional stability, and scoring a foreign policy win for Biden's re-election campaign in 2024.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Israel are getting closer to normalizing relations, but the treatment of Palestinians remains an important issue to be resolved; any deal would require major progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state, which is a challenge for Israel's current government.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed optimism about the possibility of a historic peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia at the United Nations General Assembly, but acknowledged the significant obstacles that need to be overcome, including the creation of a Palestinian state and Saudi demands for a defense pact and civilian nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his satisfaction with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's optimistic tone regarding efforts to normalize relations between their countries, stating that they are getting closer to peace every day that passes.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has suggested that six or seven Muslim countries could establish peace with Israel if it signed a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia, potentially reshaping the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent visit to the United States was marked by diplomatic successes, including progress in Saudi peace talks, a warming of Israeli-Turkish ties, and the elevation of Jerusalem's status, although tensions with the US and Ukraine persist.
A group of Democratic senators have informed President Biden that any Saudi-Israel diplomatic pact should include Israel's commitment to halt settlements in Palestinian territories and uphold the possibility of a two-state solution, a stance which hardline Israeli government members are likely to oppose.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza's Palestinians jeopardizes a potential US-brokered deal to normalize Saudi Arabia's relations with Israel and ease oil prices.
Saudi Arabia has reportedly paused negotiations on normalizing ties with Israel, waiting to see how Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza unfolds.
