Blinken: "US-Saudi Mutual Defense Treaty Nearing"... Israel-Saudi Normalization Signal

Israel and Saudi Arabia Indicate Progress in Diplomatic Ties
Pressure on Hamas for Ceasefire Agreement

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken visited Saudi Arabia on the 29th (local time) and stated that the mutual defense treaty between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, being pursued to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, is nearing completion. Analysts interpret this as the U.S. attempting to resume discussions on normalizing diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia in order to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to major foreign media on the day, Secretary Blinken, who visited Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF, Davos Forum) special meeting, said, "The work that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have been jointly progressing in terms of agreement is potentially very close to completion."

He emphasized that "two conditions are necessary to advance the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia," adding, "Those are calm in the Gaza Strip and a credible path toward the establishment of a Palestinian state."

The U.S. had been working hard on normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia up until the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas. Saudi Arabia has demanded support from the U.S. in exchange for normalization, including concluding a mutual defense treaty on the level of NATO and permitting uranium enrichment for civilian nuclear development. However, related discussions were suspended following the Israel-Hamas war in October last year.

Saudi Arabia maintains that it cannot establish diplomatic relations with Israel without Israel halting its invasion of the Gaza Strip and recognizing a Palestinian state, so progress in normalization talks between the two countries is closely linked to ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Secretary Blinken also pressured Hamas to agree to a ceasefire. He stated, "The proposal offered to Hamas is extremely generous from Israel's perspective," and added, "They (Hamas) need to decide quickly. I hope they make the right decision."

The normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia is expected to put considerable pressure on Hamas. Since one analysis suggested that one of the reasons Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel in October last year was the rapid progress in normalization talks between the two countries, this issue significantly affects the Middle East situation and Hamas's position. If Saudi Arabia establishes diplomatic relations with Israel, Hamas will likely become isolated, having no support except for Iran, which is hostile to the West. Saudi Arabia's withdrawal of support for Hamas could also impact most of the Arab and Islamic world.

Meanwhile, Secretary Blinken visited the Middle East for the seventh time since the Israel-Hamas war broke out last year. He reiterated his opposition to Israel's plan to attack Rafah, the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip.