(Sun 20 Aug 2023)
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s domestically besieged prime minister, badly needs a Saudi deal. The Saudis want one, too, but insist, on paper at least, on tangible progress towards a Palestinian state. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners oppose any concessions, he’s barely on speaking terms with Biden – and in October, just to spite him, he plans to visit China.
Even so, Biden seems to think he can win Israeli agreement for increased Palestinian autonomy, a halt to West Bank annexation plans and maybe a revived two-state peace process in return for delivering the Saudis, defanging Iran and providing security guarantees all round.
Biden’s hat-trick hopes look slightly delusional.