"US-Saudi Defence Pact Links to Israel Deal, Palestinian Demands Ignored"

Saudi Arabia is determined to secure a military pact with the United States that would require the US to defend the kingdom in exchange for opening ties with Israel, even if Israel does not offer major concessions to the Palestinians. The pact may resemble treaties the US has with Asian states or the US agreement with Bahrain, and could potentially designate Saudi Arabia as a Major Non-NATO Ally. The Palestinians' demands for statehood would take a back seat in the negotiations, as the focus is on normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.