US NSA Meeting w/MBS Seeks To Presage Sec. Pact & Israel Normalisation

On 27 July, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the potential for a US-Saudi mutual security pact that is seen as key for the prospect of a normalisation of ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Saudi Arabia's drift from the US' sphere of influence - highlighted most clearly in the Beijing-brokered deal that has seen Saudi and Iran resume diplomatic links - has marked a major geopolitical shift in the Middle East that has concerned Washington, D.C.

• The brief White House readout of the visit did not mention Israel specifically. However, it did mention discussions on "...initiatives to advance a common vision for a more peaceful, secure, prosperous, and stable Middle East region interconnected with the world", likely indicating efforts to bring Saudi and Israel together.
• The NYT first reported the meeting, with Thomas L. Friedman noting: "First, a U.S.-Saudi security pact that produces normalization of relations [...] — while curtailing Saudi-China relations — would be a game changer for the Middle East,[...] Because peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia [...] would open the way for peace between Israel and the whole Muslim world, [...]. Second, if the United States forges a security alliance with Saudi Arabia [...] Netanyahu’s ruling coalition [...] would have to answer this question: You can annex the West Bank, or you can have peace with Saudi Arabia and the whole Muslim world, but you can’t have both, so which will it be?."