A possible normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel will not be part of the high-level discussions involving Riyadh and the White House about establishing a formal defense treaty, according to a Monday report by Axios.
Three sources familiar with the matter told the news outlet that last week's meetings in Washington with Saudi National Security Adviser Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban and his U.S. counterpart, Jake Sullivan, focused exclusively on bilateral issues relevant to both countries.
The disclosure follows a Wall Street Journal article in June suggesting the Biden administration was nearing the completion of the historic accord in return for the Kingdom's recognition of the Jewish state.
Israel’s participation in the deal was reportedly derailed due to the ongoing conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah, along with the insistence of Saudi Arabia’s Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, that an independent Palestinian state must be established before he would approve the plan.
The two governments are said to be seeking to finalize a limited number of security arrangements before U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office in January.
The original proposal would have made the Middle Eastern state the first Arab-majority nation to form a military alliance with the U.S.
Related Story: U.S. Close to Finalizing Saudi Defense Treaty in Exchange for Israel Normalization: Report
