Saudi Arabia Seeks US Defense Pact, Offers To Accept Political Commitment For Palestinian State: Report

In a recent development, Saudi Arabia is reportedly willing to accept a political commitment from Israel for the establishment of a Palestinian state. This move is seen as an attempt to secure a defense pact with the U.S. before the 2024 presidential election.

What Happened: Saudi Arabia is willing to accept a political commitment from Israel for the establishment of a Palestinian state. This is in a bid to secure a defense pact with the U.S. before the 2024 presidential election, according to a Reuters report on Friday.

The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealed that Saudi Arabia is eager to bolster its security against Iran and continue its economic transformation. This has led to a renewed interest in the defense pact with the U.S.

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“The message from the kingdom to America has been: ‘Stop the war first, allow humanitarian aid and commit to a just and lasting solution to give the Palestinians a state’,” said Abdelaziz al-Sagher, head of the Gulf Research Center think-tank in Jeddah, who is familiar with the ongoing discussions. “Without it, Saudi Arabia can’t do anything.”

As part of the negotiations, Saudi officials have informed their U.S. counterparts that they would not insist on concrete steps from Israel to create a Palestinian state. Instead, they would accept a political commitment to a two-state solution.

Despite the potential benefits of such a deal, it still faces significant political and diplomatic hurdles, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Why It Matters: The potential defense pact between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia has been a subject of significant interest in recent times. The pact could reshape Middle East geopolitics. The agreement, which is tied to the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel, could see the U.S. pledge to protect Saudi Arabia, even if Israel does not make significant concessions to Palestinians in their pursuit of statehood.

More recently, it was reported that the U.S. was working with Saudi Arabia and Egypt on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. The Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas had taken a new turn with the unveiling of a U.S.-backed peace plan with five Arab states. If Israel accepted the deal, Saudi Arabia would return to conversations about recognizing Israel’s sovereignty, which was stopped short by the Hamas attacks.

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Mohammed bin Salman. Image Via Shutterstock