Posted on 03/09/23
| News Source: WSJ
Saudi Arabia is asking the U.S. to provide security guarantees and help to develop its civilian nuclear program as Washington tries to broker diplomatic relations between the kingdom and Israel, people involved in discussions between the two countries said.
Striking a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia has become a priority for President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid a looming confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program and military aid to Russia during the Ukraine war. The Biden administration is deeply involved in the complex negotiations, the people said, and any deal would reshape the Middle East’s political landscape.
The Saudi demands for security guarantees and nuclear aid are among the daunting obstacles to a deal, as some Washington lawmakers will likely oppose those measures. There remains caution in Riyadh about striking a deal that would come under fire in the Arab world and exacerbate tensions with Iran.
Support in Saudi Arabia and across the Arab world for openly embracing Israel has also cooled in recent weeks as violence surges in the West Bank to levels not seen in nearly two decades and Mr. Netanyahu presses ahead with judicial-law changes that have triggered massive protests, some of the people said.
Daniel Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel who now focuses on strengthening Israel-Arab world ties as a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, called a potential deal “a very tough Gordian knot to cut.”
“Normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, facilitated by the United States, is in all three parties’ interests,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to arrange.”
Still, U.S., Israeli and Saudi officials said a deal is possible. Mr. Netanyahu is looking to build on Israeli ties to the Arab world that expanded in 2020 with the so-called Abraham Accords, when four Muslim nations committed to normal relations with Israel.
Saudi Arabia has intensified security ties with Israel in recent years with an eye to confronting Iran and sees growing potential for business deals as the kingdom looks to diversify its economy away from oil. A deal would mark a diplomatic victory for Mr. Biden, who has had repeated clashes with Saudi Arabia over human rights, oil prices, the war in Yemen and support for Ukraine.
If Saudi Arabia—home to the two holiest sites in Islam—were to establish formal ties with Israel, it could send a signal to other Arab and Muslim leaders that they would be free to embrace Israel while also accelerating U.S.-led efforts to create a regional military alliance to counter Iran.