Saudi Arabia has abandoned its ambitious plan to sign a defense treaty with Washington and is instead pushing for a more modest military cooperation agreement. Previously, Saudi Arabia had softened its stance on a Palestinian state to normalize relations with Israel, but now Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is demanding that Israel take specific steps toward establishing a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, Israel still aims to achieve normalization with Saudi Arabia but faces domestic opposition.
Currently, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. hope to sign a military agreement to enhance cooperation, particularly in dealing with the threat from Iran. This agreement would include joint military drills, investment in defense technology, and an increased U.S. military presence in Riyadh, but it would not be a binding defense pact.