The WSJ reported that the deal between Saudi Arabia and the PA is conditioned to the PA’s ability to crack down on “militant groups and curb violence in the West Bank.”
Saudi Arabia has offered to resume financial aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA), in a “serious effort to overcome obstacles to establishing diplomatic relations with Israel”, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
According to the report, officials in the Kingdom are looking for the support of PA President Mahmoud Abbas for a normalization agreement with Israel, because this would silence public criticism.
Amid Normalization Push, Saudi Arabia Names Non-Resident Ambassador for Palestinian Territories
The WSJ reported that the deal with the PA is not directly linked to the support of Saudi-Israel normalization, but it is conditioned to the PA’s ability to crack down on “militant groups and curb violence in the West Bank.”
The PA will reportedly be sending a senior delegation to Saudi Arabia next week to hold talks with Saudi officials, on “what the kingdom can do in talks with Israel to advance flickering hopes of creating a Palestinian state,” WSJ wrote, citing Saudi and Palestinian officials.
Last week, Israeli media reported that the United States told Israel that, in order to finalize a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, Tel Aviv would have to make substantial concessions to the Palestinians.
Washington Tells Tel Aviv What It Must Do to Normalize with Saudi Arabia
Israel news website Walla said that the message by the US was conveyed during the visit by Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to Washington.
According to The Times of Israel, Israeli Channel 13 “said Sunday that after initially believing that a deal with Saudi Arabia would not require major gestures to the Palestinians, Israel’s leadership is now beginning to understand that it will in fact have to offer something significant.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
