US bidding 'historic' deal to secure Saudi-Israeli normalization: WSJ

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Wall Street Journal
20 Apr 2024 00:15
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According to US officials, the White House is giving Riyadh a revived drive for a Palestinian state among other incentives.

US President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman pictured in Jeddah on July 16, 2022. (AFP)

The Biden administration is pressing for a diplomatic compromise in the coming months that would require Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make a new commitment to Palestinian statehood in exchange for diplomatic recognition from Riyadh, The Wall Street Journal reported citing US and Saudi officials.

As inducements to normalize ties with "Israel," the White House is giving Riyadh a more formal defense alliance with Washington, support in getting civil nuclear power, and a revived drive for a Palestinian state—a package that US officials believe is in the last stages of negotiations.

The US-brokered endeavor provides "Israel" with a prize it has long desired: a historic normalization agreement with Riyadh, giving Biden a chance to benefit his presidential campaign by advancing the so-called "Abraham Accords".

According to US officials, Israelis should believe that normalization with Riyadh will improve its security against Iran after it witnessed many Arab nations helping to shoot down Iranian missiles and drones.

US and Israeli officials however believe convincing Netanyahu, who is gripping to power and heavily influenced by his far-right war cabinet, may not be an easy feat.

Saudi sources told the WSJ that Saudi authorities have made it clear that establishing a Palestinian state is crucial to any normalization and Saudi officials have quietly suggested to the US that they may accept verbal guarantees from "Israel" to work toward Palestinian statehood.

But on Thursday, the United States vetoed a decision to award Palestine full membership status in the United Nations, in a meeting of the UN Security Council.

The US announced early this month its opposition to the Palestinian authority attempting to get a full United Nations membership, saying that its backing of establishing a Palestinian state would come after negotiations with the Israeli occupation.

"We support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state," and that is something "that should be done through direct negotiations through the parties, something we are pursuing at this time, and not at the United Nations," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

The Knesset passed a draft government resolution last February rejecting any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. The resolution was passed with an overwhelming majority of votes, as 99 out of 120 Israeli lawmakers backed the legislation.