Saudi Arabia Abandons Ambitious U.S. Defense Treaty for Modest Military Cooperation, Say Two Saudi Officials

Nov 29, 2024, 01:47 PM

Saudi Arabia has officially abandoned its pursuit of an ambitious defense treaty with the United States, which was contingent upon normalizing relations with Israel. Instead, the kingdom is now advocating for a more modest military cooperation agreement. This shift comes as reports indicate that the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate has hindered progress on the normalization front. Two Saudi officials and four Western officials confirmed this development to Reuters, emphasizing that the previous aspirations for a comprehensive treaty have been set aside in light of current geopolitical dynamics.