Against the background of the attempt to promote normalization with Israel: Biden's senior advisers have secretly arrived in Saudi Arabia
In anticipation of the US President's planned visit to Saudi Arabia, his top advisers have arrived in the kingdom to meet with Saudi officials and formulate understandings on the issue of oil production and negotiations on the islands of Tiran and Fin.
Saudi Foreign Minister: "Normalization with Israel will benefit the entire region."
Herzog: "We want Saudi Arabia to join the Abrahamic agreements"
Lightning Ravid
25/05/2022
Wednesday, 25 May 2022, 16:09 Updated: 17:08
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In the video: Biden refers to the intelligence report on the murder of Jamal Hashukaji (Photo: Reuters)
Two senior advisers to US President Joe Biden have paid a secret visit to Saudi Arabia for talks on mediation between Israel and Saudi Arabia unveiled at Walla!
This week.
Other issues that will come up for discussion are the American demand for increased oil production as well as preparations for Biden's planned visit to the kingdom at the end of June - according to three American sources.
More on Walla!
The diamond in the crown: Every normalization step by Saudi Arabia will be a resounding message to the region
To the full article
He has previously called Saudi Arabia a "rebellious country."
Biden (Photo: Reuters, REUTERS / Al Drago)
why is it important
President Biden plans to visit Saudi Arabia as part of his visit to the Middle East, which will also include Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
In order for the visit to take place the parties need to conclude a package of understandings on these issues between the US and Saudi Arabia.
In the news
According to three U.S. sources, President Biden's senior adviser on the Middle East, Brett McGrack, and US energy envoy Amos Hochstein, who is considered very close to Baiden, arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to hold meetings with senior Saudi officials.
The White House declined to comment.
The U.S. State Department said: "We have nothing to report on travel at this time."
Update
Monday Night Posted in Walla!
Because the Biden government is secretly mediating between Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in an attempt to achieve a series that would complete the transfer of the islands of Tiran and the Red Sea to Saudi sovereignty, and that would include a separate move of Saudi normalization measures against Israel.
If the negotiations are successful, it may pave the way for significant normalization measures on the part of Saudi Arabia towards Israel. Such development would be a significant breakthrough and a major political achievement for the Bennett-Lapid government and the Biden government in the Middle East.
The White House wants to reach an understanding on the issue ahead of Biden's planned trip to the Middle East in late June.
Saudi Crown Prince Ben Salman (Photo: Reuters)
What are they saying
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan was asked about the publication in Walla!
During a panel at a conference in Davos on Tuesday.
He did not deny the existence of the negotiations.
"We have always said that normalization is the end result of a path that needs to be taken," the Saudi foreign minister said.
"Normalization between the region and Israel will benefit, but we will not be able to reap all these fruits if we do not address the Palestinian issue. The fact that this issue is unresolved creates instability in the region. The first priority should be progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process." .
President Yitzhak Herzog said during a panel at the Davos conference that Saudi Arabia is an important country and Israel would like the Saudis to join the Abrahamic Accords.
"It's a process and it takes time," Herzog said.
The big picture
Biden wants the Saudis to increase oil production.
So far despite some requests, the Saudis refuse and claim that the oil market is balanced and there is no need to supply more oil to the market.
The reason why Biden needs the Saudis to increase oil production is to try to lower the price of fuel in the world and especially in the US, ahead of the midterm elections to Congress in November.
Increasing oil production is important to Baiden also in light of the war in Ukraine and the sanctions it wants to impose on Russian oil.
Without additional Saudi oil in the Biden market it would be difficult to advance such sanctions.
The Saudis have so far stressed that they will not violate an agreement they signed with Russia on setting oil production quotas, but that agreement is due to expire in September.
This may pave the way for a Saudi-US agreement to be implemented in the future but a declaration of it will lead to a drop in prices and help the US president.
Why pay attention
If the talks of Biden's advisers in Saudi Arabia on oil, normalization with Israel and other issues end successfully, this will increase trust between the US and the Saudis and pave the way for Biden's visit.
On such a visit, the US President is expected to meet in one way or another with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.
U.S. intelligence has revealed that Ben Salman is the one who ordered the assassination of Washington Post commentator Jamal Khushkji.
Against this background, Biden called Saudi Arabia during his campaign for the presidency a "rebellious country" and promised to take a tough line towards it.
Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia may symbolize a significant change in this American policy.
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Joe Biden
Saudi Arabia
United States