Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
The White House: South Africa used its G20 presidency to undermine the group's founding principles.
US White House: South Africa refuses to facilitate a smooth transition of the G20 presidency
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Caracas: Several airlines are canceling flights to and from Venezuela until further notice
Al-Rashq: 'Israel' is fabricating pretexts to evade the agreement and return to a war of extermination, and it is the one that violates the agreement daily and systematically
Al-Rashq: We demand that mediators and the US administration pressure 'Israel' to reveal the identity of the gunman it claims Hamas sent
Hamas political bureau member Izzat al-Rashq: Reports published by Israeli sources regarding Hamas informing Witkoff that the agreement has ended are false
Al-Dali: Various Palestinian factions will participate in these important national meetings
Al-Dali: The visit carries important implications, and this is proof that Hamas attaches particular importance to this visit, given the sensitivity of the current stage
Al-Dali: The goal is to coordinate positions with Arab countries and strengthen the Palestinian national position in the face of Israeli plans
Al-Dali: A Hamas leadership delegation, headed by Khalil al-Hayya, will arrive in Cairo within the next few hours

Washington set to lift 3-year ban on offensive weapons to Riyadh : FT

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Financial Times
  • 27 May 2024 04:42
4 Min Read

The newspaper reports that this comes as part of the United States' efforts to push form Saudi-Israeli normalization efforts.

  • x
  • US set to lift sale ban on attack weapons to Riyadh after 3 years: FT
    US President Joe Biden shares a fist bump with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during their first meeting in Riyadh after Biden called Saudi Arabia a  "Pariah" state, Saudi Arabia, July 2022. (AFP)

The United States is set to lift the ban on the sale of attack weapons to Saudi Arabia in the coming few weeks, the Financial Times reported on Sunday citing US officials.

US President Joe Biden suspended the sale of offensive weapons to Riyadh three years ago after calling it a "pariah" state, citing human rights violations in the kingdom, the murder of American-Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and concerns that US-supplied weapons are being used in crimes committed in Yemen against civilians, including children, during the ongoing war on the country since 2015.

Read more: 'Israel' commits gruesome massacre in Rafah alleged safe zone

But Washington has shifted its policy on relations with Saudi Arabia as part of its efforts to persuade the Arab government to normalize ties with the Israeli occupation amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Steps also included drafting a bilateral US-Saudi defense agreement and a nuclear agreement between the two, something which Riyadh has been requesting for years amid a "growing concern with Iran."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that the Biden administration might reach a final normalization agreement within weeks.

Senior US officials stated this week that Washington and Riyadh were nearing the completion of a series of bilateral agreements, including the defense pact and cooperation on Saudi Arabia's emerging civilian nuclear program.

Once the pact is completed, it would be part of a broader deal offered to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompting him to consider making concessions to secure normalized ties with Riyadh.

However, it is unclear what the Israeli position is on the Saudi nuclear ambitions, or the defense pact that could be seen as a threat to the entity's military "qualitative edge" doctrine.

Read more: Jake Sullivan to visit Saudi Arabia, 'Israel' for normalization talks

No concrete steps required

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told the Financial Times earlier this month that the Biden administration will not be signing a security agreement with Saudi Arabia without the latter agreeing to normalize ties with the Israeli occupation.

Riyadh had at first conditioned that a tangible path toward the so-called "two-state" must be put on track before establishing diplomatic ties with "Israel". But it has since toned down its demand, now only requesting an "Israel" "commitment" rather than concrete steps.

Regional sources said that Saudi officials have not stated exactly what an "acceptable "pathway to a Palestinian state" would involve, hence they can strike a deal with "Israel" without it involving any binding moves, according to Reuters.

Last month, Reuters reported that if the pact between Saudi Arabia and the US takes place in which the latter provides "military protection" for the former in exchange for normalization with "Israel", the Middle East would go through severe changes, especially in light of China making inroads in the region.

Additionally, this could give Biden a much-needed "diplomatic victory" ahead of the upcoming US elections.

A senior Israeli official told Reuters that there was "zero chance Netanyahu would talk about a Palestinian state."

"As Israel has made clear, the Palestinians will not have sovereignty in terms of being able to have an army or to enter treaties with Iran or to threaten Israel in any way."

However, that "doesn't mean the Saudis can't talk about it, or anyone else," the official said explaining Riyadh's public position.

  • United States
  • Palestine
  • Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Israel
  • Gaza
  • Joe Biden
  • Saudi Arabia

Most Read

Inside the Epstein-Rothschild web behind 'Israel’s' spy tech empire

Inside the Epstein-Rothschild web behind 'Israel’s' spy tech empire

  • Politics
  • 19 Nov 2025
Hamas fighters stand in formation as they prepare for the ceremony of Israeli captive hand over to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP)

US plot for Gaza in shambles amid continued popular support for Hamas

  • Politics
  • 17 Nov 2025
Ukrainian political analyst Mikhail Chaplyha has written that Jolie was ‘called’ to Kherson in order to divert attention from Pokrovsk. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Strategic cities fall to Russian forces in Donbass; Ukraine denies what is happening

  • Opinion
  • 16 Nov 2025
Democracy at the civilizational crossroads: Critical analysis of bourgeois Democracy, its alternatives

Democracy at the civilizational crossroads: Critical analysis of bourgeois Democracy, its alternatives

  • Analysis
  • 19 Nov 2025

Coverage

All
In Five

Read Next

All
Nahdlatul Ulama chief faces removal over hosting pro-'Israel' speaker
Asia

Nahdlatul Ulama chief faces removal over hosting pro-'Israel' speaker

A boy tries to stand near missiles displayed in the National Aerospace Park of the Revolutionary Guard, just outside Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Key Israeli sites destroyed, nuclear docs moved to Tehran: Minister

Guy Pearce
Asia Pacific

Aussie actor 'disgusted' by Israeli 'disdain' for Palestinian life

Brigadier General Ali Jahanshahi, the newly appointed commander of the Iranian ground forces, in an undated photo (MNA)
Politics

Ali Jahanshahi appointed as new commander of Iran Army Ground Force

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS