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The Biden administration and Saudi Arabia are nearing a deal on US security guarantees and civilian nuclear assistance, according to seven sources familiar with the matter.
For now, US and Saudi negotiators have prioritised a bilateral security agreement, which will then be included in a larger package presented to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will have to decide whether to make concessions to secure historic ties with Riyadh, according to five sources.
“We’re very close to an agreement” on the US-Saudi portion of the package, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Thursday, predicting that details could be ironed out “in very short order”.
According to foreign diplomats in the Gulf and sources in Washington, this part of the plan is likely to include formal US guarantees to defend the kingdom, as well as Saudi access to more advanced US weapons in exchange for halting Chinese arms purchases and limiting Beijing’s investment in the country.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the US-Saudi security agreement will also include the sharing of developing technologies with Riyadh, such as artificial intelligence.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the details were expected to be finalised within weeks.
Netanyahu’s demands for joining a broader deal are believed to include ending the war in Gaza and agreeing on a path to Palestinian statehood, both of which Netanyahu has strongly opposed.
US officials say they hope Netanyahu will not squander the historic opportunity to forge ties with Saudi Arabia.
A major deal to provide US military security to the world’s largest oil exporter, as well as normalisation with Israel, would unite two long-standing adversaries and bind Riyadh to Washington at a time when China is making advances in the region.
A normalisation deal would also bolster Israel’s defences against arch-rival Iran and hand US President Joe Biden a diplomatic success ahead of the November 5 presidential election.
