US President Joe Biden has firmly stated that an agreement normalising relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia is not on the immediate horizon.
In a conversation with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, he clarified that both countries are far from reaching a mutual understanding involving a defence treaty and a civilian nuclear program supported by the US.
The world’s largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, remains a close ally of the United States but has consistently rejected the idea of normalising relations with Israel due to the latter’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
Reflections on Progress and Challenges
Despite this, Biden acknowledged some progress in the region, pointing out that Saudi Arabia had opened its airspace to all air carriers, facilitating more overflights to and from Israel. However, the US President is still sceptical about providing Saudi Arabia with the means for civilian nuclear power and guaranteeing their security, believing that “that’s a little way off”.
In addition to the Israel-Saudi Arabia relations, Biden also touched on the issue of the Israel-Palestine conflict. He supported the idea of a two-state solution and criticised the stance of certain members of Netanyahu’s cabinet on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Biden expressed hope for a move towards moderation and change in Israeli policies.
