The United States and Saudi Arabia have agreed on the broad outlines of a deal for Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel in exchange for concessions to the Palestinians, US security guarantees, and civilian nuclear help, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing American officials.
According to the report, the officials expressed cautious optimism that, in the next nine to 12 months, they can straighten out the deal's finer details. But they warn that they face long odds.
The report adds that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told his advisors that he was in no rush to come to such an agreement, especially with the current Israeli government, which opposes the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
The basis for such a deal, according to US and Saudi officials, would be a significant offer by the Israelis that advances efforts to create an independent Palestinian state. According to the report, these concessions are one of the significant hurdles facing negotiators.
The American officials say they are optimistic that such a deal would come to fruition before the end of President Biden's current term.
The White House denied that the United States and Saudi Arabia have reached agreements on the broad outlines of a deal for Saudi Arabia to normalize its relations with Israel in exchange for concessions to the Palestinians, US security guarantees, and civilian nuclear help.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said: "The report left the impression that the discussions are much more advanced than they really are. There is no agreed-upon framework or principles, but there is our commitment to continue the talks."