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A group of 20 Democratic senators expressed serious concerns about the Biden administration’s efforts to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, raising the possibility of such a deal passing Congress.
In a letter to President Joe Biden, the senators said they were concerned about deepening security ties with Riyadh, adding that any deal would have to involve significant Israeli concessions to the Palestinians.
“A bad deal could undermine America’s national security priorities,” one of the authors, Senator Chris Murphy, told reporters. Murphy, fellow Senators Chris Van Hollen, Peter Welch and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin were among the other signatories.
“The United States has long failed to hold our country to treaty-backed security guarantees in this conflict-ridden region of the volatile Middle East. A high degree of substantiation is required to justify a binding defense treaty with Saudi Arabia. … Benefits,” the letter said.
The intervention comes as the United States pushes for a historic deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but also highlights the political obstacles in its path.
Under the broad terms of the agreement between the three countries, the United States will provide Riyadh with some security guarantees and aid for its civilian nuclear program, while Israel will take steps to improve conditions for the Palestinians.
Any U.S. security commitments and nuclear assistance will almost certainly require congressional approval.
Democrats say they are wary of Saudi Arabia’s request to enrich uranium within its borders as part of a civilian nuclear energy cooperation agreement.
The letter noted that their approval of any deal would also be conditional on Israel taking meaningful steps to halt settlement growth and increase Palestinians’ freedom of movement. Such Israeli commitments are “critical to any sustainable peace in the Middle East and to safeguarding Israel’s future as a Jewish democratic state,” the report added.
Senators said they were concerned about Saudi Arabia’s desire for security given its human rights record. Congress has been critical of Saudi Arabia following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 and the kingdom’s recent decision to cut oil production.
“If we’re going to have an arrangement with Saudi Arabia, which has a poor human rights record, and they’re flirting with China and insisting on our position on oil prices, I mean, what’s in it for us? We’re asking that question. ,” Welch told reporters Wednesday.
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