Catholic Law's Professor Marshall Breger was recently interviewed by the major Israeli media outlet, Media Line, regarding the proposed Saudi Arabian-US defense treaty. This issue is likely to come up during Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to Congress this week, where he will also meet with President Biden and former President Trump. The article highlights the significance of a US-Saudi defense treaty for Saudi Arabia, as it would enable the Kingdom to purchase advanced US fighter planes and develop a civil nuclear capacity—an area in which they have previously considered cooperation with China.

From the US perspective, such a treaty would strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia and move the country closer to the United States. It would also help form a regional alliance against Iran and counter China's ambitions in the Middle East. As part of the agreement, Saudi Arabia would commit not to host Chinese bases and to develop its civil nuclear capabilities under US oversight. However, there are enough Democrats (and even some Republicans) in the Senate who distrust the Saudis, posing a potential obstacle to ratifying the treaty. This opposition could be mitigated if the Biden administration pushes the treaty before the upcoming election.

The Saudis are eager to acquire the fighter planes but will not endorse the treaty without a clear Israeli commitment to a Palestinian state. Before the October 7 Hamas massacre, they might have accepted vague assurances, but following the Gaza invasion, they will demand more concrete commitments—something Netanyahu seems unlikely to agree to for both ideological and political reasons. Congress, on the other hand, will require a semblance of a political solution for the Palestinians in order to support the treaty. Thus, Breger suggests, Netanyahu's visit will likely involve intense discussions behind the scenes, even as public attention focuses on the war in Gaza.

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