President Joe Biden is racing against the clock to normalize diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, with a source close to the matter revealing to CBS News that an agreement is just “days away” from being finalized.
The multi-faceted deal reportedly includes a series of agreements between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, such as defense guarantees and civil nuclear cooperation. However, the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel hinges on the complex goal of forging a pathway to a Palestinian state.
Join the JBN+ WhatsApp GroupSaudi Arabia has made it clear that no progress can be made without a two-state solution that includes Arab self-rule in Gaza as well as Judea and Samaria. The White House is hoping that embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will view normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia as a significant security and diplomatic win, despite the risk of alienating right-wing members critical to his fragile coalition government.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu is facing intense pressure from his political rival Benny Gantz, who threatened to quit the War Cabinet by June 8 if key decisions are not made. Gantz, who is widely seen as a potential future prime minister, has also called for elections in September and has been speaking with the White House about the Saudi deal.
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