The prospect of a historic diplomatic normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia inched closer to reality Wednesday.
President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed optimism about a possible Israel-Saudi breakthrough as they came together on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly for a much-anticipated face-to-face meeting that was otherwise fraught with unusually stark tensions between the two longtime allies.
There was also daylight in the closely watched meeting when Mr. Biden told Mr. Netanyahu that he plans to welcome him in Washington by December, a move designed to ease tensions over a perceived snub of the right-wing leader, who has had an uneasy relationship with the current U.S. administration. Mr. Biden said at the top of Wednesday’s meeting he was prepared to “discuss some of the hard issues, that is upholding democratic values that lie at the heart of our partnership, including the checks and balances in our systems.” He also said the two would talk about the Palestinian situation and their joint effort to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Mr. Netanyahu, who worked closely with Mr. Trump on the Abraham Accords, has said the inclusion of Saudi Arabia in the future would mark a “quantum leap” forward for Israel and the region. Mr. Biden is seen to be cognizant of this, and of the reality that the Saudis are wary of proceeding with normalizing relations with Israel amid concerns over the plight of the Palestinians.
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