"Saudi Arabia Seeks U.S. Defense Pact Amid Talks on Israel Normalization"

Saudi Arabia is seeking a defense pact with the United States before the presidential election and is willing to accept a political commitment from Israel to create a Palestinian state in order to move forward with the deal. The kingdom's desire for security and to counter Iran's influence is driving this push, but obstacles remain, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to Palestinian statehood. The Biden administration is working to present a unified regional position to Israel and hopes to gain congressional support for the defense pact tied to normalization efforts.