Saudi Arabia has resumed talks with the United States for closer defense ties. This dialogue was suspended last October due to the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.
According to reports, at the beginning of January in the city of Alula in the north-west of Saudi Arabia, negotiations took place between the 38-year-old heir to the throne, Mohammed bin Salman, and a group of US senators. The main topic of discussion was the resumption of previous negotiations on a defense pact, which also takes into account the possible historical connection between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
An important aspect of the talks is the position of Saudi Arabia, which favors the creation of an independent state for the Palestinians, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly rejected this idea.
The joint interests of Saudi Arabia and the United States include countering the Houthi group in Yemen. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is trying to broker a peace deal after a decade of conflict. The US and its allies are conducting airstrikes against the Houthis in line with ongoing attacks on ships in the Red Sea, which is negatively affecting global trade.
The crown prince is interested in restoring and strengthening defense ties with the US. This reflects Saudi Arabia's desire to position itself as a safe haven, regardless of regional conflicts, to attract major global corporations, investors and tourists.
However, the main challenge in the negotiations is the need to convince US President Joe Biden to lift the freeze on arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which was imposed three years ago. An important driving force in these talks is a shared interest in strengthening defense relations with Washington, which could prove key in the short term.
Negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Israel have received a new development. Even in the absence of official diplomatic ties, on September 10, 2023, Israeli diplomats visited Saudi Arabia to participate in a meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
After the Hamas terrorist attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7, Riyadh called for an "immediate end to the escalation, protection of the civilian population and self-control". Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said the conflict arose because of the "prolonged occupation and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights."
On October 14, the country suspended negotiations on the normalization of relations with Israel, which were conducted through the mediation of the United States.
Escalating tensions in the Middle East: Renewal of talks between the US and Saudi Arabia is taking place in the shadow of a drone attack on the US military base "Tower 22" in northeastern Jordan. This strike resulted in the death of three people, and about 40 servicemen were injured.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin threatened to respond to the attack, stressing the determination to respond to the incident. US President Joe Biden has already decided on the measures that will be taken in response to this strike.
Experts believe that the reaction to this strike in Jordan may be more decisive than the reactions to other events that took place in the region after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
