Antony Blinken & Prince Faisal / Credit: Brookings Institute

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are discussing a security agreement that excludes an Israel normalization deal, with hopes to finalize it before President Biden’s term ends in January, Axios reported on Monday.

The proposed U.S.-Saudi agreement, while not a full defense alliance, aims to boost regional stability, according to Axios.

Before Hamas’s October 7 atrocities, Washington and Riyadh were pursuing a broad agreement, that included Saudi recognition of Israel along with a proposed Palestinian state. However, the two-state solution became unfeasible when the war began following the Hamas attack.

Nevertheless, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) is reportedly advocating for a security agreement with the U.S., believing it may be politically possible only under the Biden administration.

The White House hopes to include a U.S.-Saudi defense treaty along with civilian nuclear cooperation in an agreement, believing that a broader package might increase the likelihood of ratification by the U.S. Senate.

At a conference last week advocating for a Palestinian state, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan affirmed that the U.S. remains a “reliable partner” for Saudi Arabia in the region.

“The working relationship with the U.S. is among the best we have ever had, including in national security and economic cooperation, and we are making very good progress,” he said.

The agreement may be nearing completion, with Saudi national security adviser Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban reportedly visiting the White House last week to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, national security adviser Jake Sullivan, and Biden advisers Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein, according to Axios.

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