The Biden administration is looking to offer a “security alliance” to Saudi Arabia that would commit the US to “help defend” it in return for Saudi normalization of relations with Israel. Israel’s end in this deal centers on a quick end to the Hamas-inflicted war in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s commitment to a credible path to a two-state solution with the Palestinians. It’s well enough known that Israel’s current government, and more than a few predecessor governments, don’t like the idea of a Palestinian state on Israel’s border.
I have an idea on the matter, because in my awesomeness (and hubris) of course I do.
I’ve written before about what to do about governing the Gaza Strip once Hamas is destroyed (assuming that’s the outcome of Hamas’ war (which Israel is trying to achieve as quickly as possible despite the roadblocks the Biden administration keeps throwing up)). A Palestinian state next door to Israel might become more palatable to Israel (I obviously don’t speak for them) if more nations than just Israel had some skin in that outcome.
Thus: the defense/two-state commitment might become a serious thing for Israeli consideration if Saudi Arabia, the Abraham Accord nations other than Israel, and Egypt were as deeply involved in that pathway to a Palestinian state as Biden and those other nations want Israel to be.
Let Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the Abraham Accord nations, less Israel, be the governing body of a nascent Palestinian state until there is a strong consensus among Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the Abraham Accord nations, less Israel, that the Palestinian state is ready for self rule, and Israel agrees with that consensus.
Of course, I’m eliding the reliability of any Biden agreement with a nation that Progressive-Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden promised to treat like a pariah, but we’re already dealing in hopes and dreams; what’s one more in the mix?