(NewsWorthy.news) – A historic defense deal is being offered to Saudi Arabia by the United States, according to a new report.
The American proposal would establish defense measures for the Gulf state while Riyadh normalizes relations with Israel. It comes as world leaders, including President Joe Biden, strive to secure a ceasefire in the ongoing war in Gaza.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, has been under fire in recent months for his intense response to the October 2023 Hamas-led massacre, which killed more than a thousand innocents. Vowing to destroy the terrorist group, Netanyahu has persisted in ordering air strikes into the Gaza Strip, killing more than 30,000. Nations across the globe have called on him to stop the attacks for the sake of the civilians.
Though ceasefire negotiations have failed to last to date, the deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia could provide some leverage, as Netanyahu has worked for years to establish a relationship with Riyadh. However, the deal would not go through unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire deal and sets in motion a plan to grant Palestine statehood. The much discussed two-state solution to the tension in the Middle East is one which many Israelis have opposed.
The treaty—called the Strategic Alliance Agreement—would be the first of its kind offered by the United States since a similar security promise was given in 1960 to Japan. Government officials confirmed that the proposal to Saudi Arabia was “modeled loosely” on the defense agreement with Japan and America.
The high-stakes deal, though, would need to be approved by the United States Senate by at least two-thirds of its members. In addition to the Israel-Palestine stipulation, America’s proposed deal would guarantee defense for the Saudis and require civil nuclear cooperation. It would provide stronger relations between the two countries while China simultaneously works to further its reach into the Middle East.
Officials within the Biden administration reportedly traveled to Israel for an anticipated meeting with Netanyahu to discuss the defense deal.
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