A U.S.-Saudi defense pact shows how warped U.S. priorities are

It seems like ages ago now, but before Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, real momentum was building toward an Israeli-Saudi normalization deal. Israel’s brutal response in Gaza halted progress on those talks. But the top U.S. and Saudi diplomats said in a recent meeting that bilateral U.S.-Saudi agreements which would be part of a normalization deal with Israel were “very, very close.”

That Washington is ardently pursuing this deal now shows just how warped its priorities are. Instead, Washington should be laser-focused on two efforts that advance American interests: securing a cease-fire in Gaza before an Israeli invasion of Rafah and retrenching from the Middle East.

To achieve a normalization agreement, Washington would essentially have to bribe Riyadh. The Saudis want formalized U.S. security guarantees, U.S. support for the development of a civilian nuclear program, and access to advanced computer chips for AI technology.

The Saudis have also said they would want Israeli concessions that would preserve a two-state solution: an ask that seems quixotic at best and delusional at worst given the last seven months. But now it appears the Saudis are willing to publicly and formally dismiss the Palestinian cause, with one report indicating that the Saudis are pushing for a “plan B” option that is not dependent on normalization with Israel. This makes U.S. pursuit of these agreements even more baffling.

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