The administration of President Joe Biden continues to insist that a deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia can be reached before the US presidential election in November, despite ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby expressed Biden’s confidence in the possibility of implementing such an initiative before the end of his presidential term.
“President Biden is absolutely confident that normalization is possible and believes it can be achieved before the end of his term,” Kirby told The Times of Israel.
According to him, active work is now underway to prepare for this process, including efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.
But some lawmakers in the U.S. Congress doubt that a deal can be struck in such a short time. Congressional sources said time was running out to hold the necessary hearings on the bilateral security pact between the United States and Saudi Arabia sought by Riyadh. In early July, lawmakers from both parties also suggested that the window of opportunity for a deal had closed.
Despite this, one Israeli diplomat speaking at the Democratic National Convention last week expressed cautious optimism that a window of opportunity could reopen after the election. He noted that during the outgoing period, the chances of the deal being approved by both parties in Congress could increase.
One of the key conditions for the normalisation proposed by Saudi Arabia is the promotion of the creation of a Palestinian state, something previously rejected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This aspect is causing resistance among Israel’s far-right coalition partners, complicating the negotiation process.
Kirby stressed the importance of the Palestinian component in the agreement, noting that without certain measures in favor of the Palestinians, normalization cannot be achieved.
“We have said from the beginning that there must be something for the Palestinian Authority as part of normalization,” he said, adding that reform of the PA was a prerequisite for “protecting the interests of the Palestinian people.”
Previously, Cursor wrote that the White House said the threat of an Iranian attack on Israel still exists.
