According to a recent report published on Monday morning by the Israeli newspaper "Israel Hayom," there is growing frustration in both Israel and among senior Saudi officials regarding the Biden administration's strong emphasis on the Palestinian issue in the context of the ongoing efforts to reach a tripartite agreement involving Riyadh, Washington, and Jerusalem. Sources with insider knowledge of the situation have revealed that this excessive focus on the Palestinian matter is hampering the progress of the normalization process and causing significant delays in achieving a major diplomatic breakthrough.
One of the key informants revealed that when it comes to the primary issues on the negotiation table, such as the proposed defense agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia, as well as the specifics of the nuclear program that the Kingdom is set to receive, the gaps are not insurmountable and can be bridged through continued negotiations. However, the overwhelming emphasis placed by the Biden administration on the Palestinian aspect threatens to undermine the entire process.
With the Abraham Accord growing at exponential level and Israel now on the cusp of historic agreement with Saudi Arabia, particularly timely to replay this John Kerry video. pic.twitter.com/5EAPBf1BZL
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) September 23, 2023
In recent days, criticism of the Biden administration's approach has been mounting, voiced both by Israeli officials and senior Saudi figures during private discussions. These critics have highlighted a significant American demand for substantial political gestures towards the Palestinians as a prerequisite for progress. Notably, this pressure is not originating from Riyadh. As a reminder, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in an interview with Fox News less than two weeks ago, refrained from making policy demands on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, expressing his hope solely to "improve the lives of the Palestinians."
Despite this accommodating stance from Saudi Arabia, the intermediaries working to facilitate dialogue between Israel and Saudi Arabia have introduced a set of political demands related to the Palestinian issue. Israel has been urged to grant permission for the reopening of the "Palestinian Consulate" in Jerusalem, which implies establishing a Palestinian presence in the capital of Israel. Additionally, there is pressure from the U.S. administration on Israel to increase its economic support for the Palestinian Authority.
With Saudi Arabia displaying a 16th century Torah scroll at the Riyadh Int'l Book Fair...
— ✡Israel and Stuff✡ (@IsraelandStufff) October 1, 2023
now, add that to:
“Saudi Arabia…will not hold up a [normalization] deal, even if Israel does not offer major concessions to Palestinians in their bid for statehood.”
It seems Peace with… https://t.co/hDVsOhSdBv
In a related development, a report from Sunday evening disclosed that since the beginning of 2023, Israel has raised the financial assistance it provides to the Palestinians by an estimated 350 million shekels. This increase appears to be a direct response to American pressure aimed at bolstering the Palestinian government led by Abu Mazen.
As mentioned, the mounting frustration in both Israel and Saudi Arabia stems from the Biden administration's relentless focus on the highly sensitive and contentious Palestinian issue. Given the delicacy of the matter, these concerns have been expressed discreetly behind closed doors.
