In the US, a significant reduction of Chinese technology in Saudi Arabia is expected as part of the deal with the Kingdom. The achievement of an advanced defense agreement with Saudi Arabia will provide the Americans with an important foothold in one of the most important countries in the region, against a backdrop of increasing influence from Beijing and Moscow. However, many doubt that Biden can successfully promote such a move without including Israel and its normalization with Saudi Arabia.
The possibility that Congress will approve the move has been met with skepticism, as it offers huge benefits to Saudi Arabia, especially in the nuclear field, without any apparent benefit to Israel. Despite efforts by Biden to implement the move soon, it could earn him a political achievement and an important milestone in his foreign policy ahead of the presidential elections in November.
According to a report, as soon as Saudi Arabia and the US complete their agreement, they plan to present it to Prime Minister Netanyahu with a proposal: “Join our deal for normalization with Saudi Arabia or be left behind.” The clear condition for Netanyahu’s participation is for Israel to end its war in Gaza Strip and agree to promoting an outline for establishing a Palestinian state. However, Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that he will not agree to any condition for ending the war until “total victory” over Hamas is achieved.
Israel has emphasized recently that it will not give up on its goal of a large-scale operation in Rafah. Netanyahu himself said this week that such an operation is inevitable “with or without hostage deals.” Yesterday Blinken reiterated this point during his meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem when he said that the US opposes any large-scale operation in Rafah.
Just yesterday, it was reported that if Israel does not agree to end its war with Hamas and join their agreement, Saudi Arabia and America are preparing Plan B: establishing civilian nuclear programs but at least initially banning uranium enrichment on Saudi Arabian soil. The two countries have been working intensively on their agreement according to American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who says that completion is very close at hand.