Blinken's Saudi Arabia Visit to Focus on Strategic Cooperation and Israel Normalization

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Saudi Arabia next week to discuss US-Saudi strategic cooperation on regional and global issues, economic and security cooperation, and the growing cooperation with Gulf Cooperation Council partners. The agenda also includes continuing efforts to end the fighting in Yemen and the Israel normalization issue. Saudi Arabia is seeking several large concessions from the US in exchange for normalization, including a significant gesture for the Palestinians. Formal Saudi recognition of Israel would be a geopolitical shock to the region.