Saudi Arabia withdrew from the defense treaty with the US because of Israel

Saudi Arabia has pulled out of a major defense deal with the United States amid an impasse over Israel. Riyadh and Washington want to reach a lighter form of military cooperation agreement before Trump comes to power.

Saudi Arabia has abandoned its pursuit of a broad defense deal with Washington in exchange for normalization with Israel, and is now seeking a simpler military cooperation agreement. This was reported by Reuters citing Saudi Arabia and four Western officials.

Riyadh, which sought to sign a comprehensive mutual security pact earlier this year, later softened its stance on Palestinian statehood, suggesting to Washington that a two-state solution to the conflict could be the basis for the kingdom's normalization of relations with Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia as a historic milestone and a sign of wider acceptance in the Arab world, Western diplomats say.

But he knows, they say, that if he sided with the Palestinians after the October 7 Hamas attacks, he would face domestic opposition and that any hint of statehood would tear apart his ruling coalition.

Meanwhile, Riyadh and Washington hope to reach a more modest defense deal before President Joe Biden leaves the White House in January, the sources said.

Sources said a full-fledged treaty between the US and Saudi Arabia would need to be approved by a two-thirds majority in the US Senate, but that would be impossible unless Riyadh recognized Israel.

The softer document currently under discussion includes expanding joint military exercises and training to counter regional threats, mainly from Iran. Sources say it will prevent cooperation with China and promote cooperation between American and Saudi defense firms.

The deal will help Saudi Arabia invest in advanced technology, particularly in the field of anti-drone defense. The United States will increase its presence in Riyadh through training, logistics and cyber security support, and may deploy a Patriot missile battalion to bolster missile defense and integrated deterrence.

But it would not be a binding mutual defense treaty that would force US forces to defend the world's largest oil exporter in the event of a foreign attack.