Saudi Arabia: Biden considers recognizing Palestinian state for Saudi normalization

Middle East
Written By Ella Rutman

Written by: Ella Rutman; Edited by: Aliyah Jaikaran  

On Wednesday, Saudia Arabia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement to the United States saying that it will not continue the ongoing normalization talks with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized with the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital. They added that Israeli forces must stop its “aggression” on the Gaza Strip and withdraw from the region in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.   

The U.S. has spearheaded diplomacy between Saudi Arabia and Israel for months in the Saudi Deal. In exchange for normalized relations with Israel, Saudi Arabia would receive a U.S. defense pact and assistance in generating its own civilian nuclear program. Progress on the Saudi Deal has ceased as per Saudi Arabia’s demand for an independent Palestinian state.   

According to a senior official, the Biden Administration has assigned policy staff to explore options of the U.S. recognizing a Palestinian state before solidifying a complete postwar deal with Israel. If Palestine obtains statehood, Biden has said that it should be governed by a “revitalized” Palestinian authority, which currently narrowly controls some of the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has opposed Palestinian control over the West Bank, further stagnating the Saudi Deal.    

At Thursday’s news conference, President Biden delivered his most piercing criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, yet. The president declared Israel’s conduct in Gaza “over the top” and stated that innocent people dying and starving has “got to stop.” Biden emphasized his joint efforts with Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia to get “as much aid as we possibly can into Gaza.”  

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s “strong interest in pursuing” normalization with Israel to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken contingent on an end to the war in Gaza and a Palestinian state. Netanyahu has stated he will not compromise on total Israeli security west of the Jordan River, which contradicts a Palestinian state. The U.S. has repeated its support for the two-state solution. Talks of the Saudi Deal remain idle until concrete movement towards a Palestinian state is made.  

Ella Rutman

Ella Rutman (she/her) is a fourth-year Political Science major, minoring in International Relations. Originally from Austin, TX, her academic concentration is in political theory, with a particular interest in theories of power and the role of the individual in driving political change across diverse systems of governance. When it comes to international affairs, her focus on comparative government merges with an interest in the relationship between conflict theory and international law. Her interest in international relations largely stems from her experience abroad in Nairobi, Kenya; Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Israel; and most recently, the University of Oxford. Outside of the WM, her interests include running, reading (currently can’t get enough of Elena Ferrante), and animal activism through her former position as Co-President of The Animal Rights Coalition at AU. You can most likely find her ordering a matcha at the Dav!

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