Biden mulls Saudi Arabia deal, may recognize Israel: Report.

President Joe Biden is ⁢considering a groundbreaking deal that could reshape the Middle East. According to a report, Saudi Arabia and Israel may establish diplomatic relations,‍ but with certain conditions from Israel.

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman biden.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>reported Thursday that a U.S. diplomatic ⁤team and Saudi ⁤leader Mohammed bin Salman are ​discussing “a U.S.-Saudi ‍mutual security ‌pact.” Under this pact, Saudi ‍Arabia would normalize relations with Israel, but only if Israel agrees to ‌make concessions to the Palestinians that would preserve the possibility of a two-state solution.

Friedman‌ believes that‍ this ⁢deal ‍could be a game changer for the region, but ​it comes with costs for Israel. In exchange for​ Israeli-Saudi normalization, Friedman proposes ‍that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises “not to annex the‌ West Bank—ever,”​ refrains from building “no‌ new West Bank settlements,” and‌ transfers parts ⁤of ​the West Bank under Israeli control to the Palestinian ⁤Authority’s control.

However, Friedman acknowledges that achieving ⁣success with this deal would be challenging, especially considering the current state of the Palestinian Authority, which is “a mess” and “in⁣ no position to⁣ engage in peace talks with Israel today.”

This⁢ is not the first time President Biden has sought to engage Saudi Arabia. Prior to⁤ last year’s midterm elections,‍ Biden pleaded with Saudi leaders to delay their decision to cut oil production, as reported by the ‍ Washington ⁤Free Beacon. Despite promising “consequences” for their refusal, Biden never followed through with the threat and even praised the Saudis for their efforts⁢ in advancing U.S. interests.

In April and June, the ⁣Saudis once again reduced oil production, leading to increased energy prices.

During a‍ recent address ⁣to⁤ the ⁤U.S. Congress, Israeli president Isaac Herzog‌ highlighted the ⁤potential for an Israeli-Saudi deal, describing it as a “sea change” in the Middle East.

However, Herzog emphasized that achieving peace with the Palestinians is currently impossible due to the Palestinian Authority’s involvement‌ in terrorism and the killing of⁢ Israeli citizens, as reported by the Free Beacon.