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by i24 News and Algemeiner Staff
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, right, meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, DC, on August 17, 2023. Screenshot from Blinken’s Twitter account
i24 News — Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday in Washington, DC, discussing regional cooperation and challenges, including Iran.
“They also discussed ongoing efforts to further Israel’s full integration in the Middle East,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
The same day, Blinken spoke on the phone with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, according to Miller. While no statement was made about a potential Israel-Saudi normalization deal specifically, Dermer’s visit reportedly revolved around it.
A report in the New York Times said that the White House has been updating a “small but influential group of Democratic senators” on closed-door diplomatic negotiations between the Middle Eastern countries.
This group reportedly included US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), as well as Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Christopher Murphy (D-CT).
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is said to be seeking a new defensive partnership with the US in return for recognizing the Jewish state. While Israel and Saudi Arabia have made strides in putting aside their differences, serious hurdles remain before any deal is struck. Sticking points include the status of Palestinians, of which the Kingdom have long been staunch supporters, and also a potential nuclear program.
A two-thirds majority in the US Senate would be needed to ratify agreements with foreign countries, but Democrats have been critical of Saudi Arabia over its human rights record and war against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
