Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister to visit U.S. over Saudi deal
Ron Dermer's visit to Washington will follow a report, denied by the U.S., that Saudi Arabia has agreed to the 'broad contours' of a deal to recognize Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly sending his Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to Washington, next week, for talks with U.S. officials about a potential normalization deal with Saudi Arabia.
According to Walla! News, three senior Israeli and U.S. officials said Dermer will discuss Washington’s diplomatic efforts to obtain a package deal with the Saudi kingdom that would include Riyadh recognizing the Jewish state.
Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi Arabia agreed to the "broad contours" of a deal to recognize Israel in exchange for concessions to the Palestinians, U.S. security guarantees, and civilian nuclear help. It said American officials were cautiously optimistic that within the next year, they could work out the finer details of what would be "the most momentous Middle East peace deal in a generation."
But Washington quickly denied the report, with National Security spokesman John Kirby saying it “left the impression that the discussions are much more advanced than they really are.”
But while there was “no agreed framework or principles,” he said there was still a “commitment to continue the talks” from the U.S. side.
The report followed remarks by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in which they echoed optimism of reaching a normalization deal with the Gulf state.
Dermer was last in Washington in June, during which he discussed with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan the threat of Iran – with whom Saudi Arabia recently forged ties – and its proxies.