Blinken says US-Saudi deal weeks from finalization, but it hinges on Palestinian component that Israel rejects

By Reuters and Jacob Magid

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22 May 2024, 6:27 pm

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill on May 21, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images/AFP)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterates that the United States and Saudi Arabia are very close to concluding a set of agreements on nuclear energy, security and defense cooperation — the bilateral component of a wider normalization deal with Riyadh and Israel.

Speaking at a hearing in the House of Representatives, Blinken says the finalizing of the agreements “could be weeks away” but cautions that for the wider normalization to be able to proceed, calm in Gaza has to occur and a pathway for Palestinian statehood needs to be formulated.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the creation of a Palestinian state, a major reason why Washington’s vision of a “grand bargain”for the Middle East remains elusive.