The newspaper says the US and Saudi Arabia are close to finalizing a defense deal

The Biden administration is close to finalizing an agreement with Saudi Arabia in which the U.S. will help defend the Gulf state as part of a deal aimed at boosting diplomatic ties between Riyadh and Israel, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing U.S. and Saudi officials. Officers.

The potential deal, widely touted by U.S. and other officials for weeks, is part of a broader package between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia on a civilian nuclear deal, steps to establish a Palestinian state and end the war in Gaza. Months of cease-fire efforts there have failed to bring peace.

According to the WSJ, ratification of the deal, known as the Strategic Alliance Agreement, would require a two-thirds majority vote in the US Senate, which would be difficult to achieve unless the deal was tied to Israeli defaults. – Saudi.

The draft agreement is loosely modeled on Washington’s mutual defense treaty with Japan, the newspaper said, citing US and Saudi officials.

The draft agreement would give Washington access to Saudi territory and airspace to protect the interests of the United States and its regional partners, in exchange for a U.S. commitment to help defend Saudi Arabia in the event of an attack, the newspaper said.

The aim is to bring Riyadh closer to Washington and bar China from building bases in the kingdom or seeking security cooperation with Riyadh, according to the WSJ, citing officials.

The White House, the US State Department and the Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.