Overview
- A senior Saudi royal told Kan News that normalization is not on Riyadh’s agenda, but Washington plans to use the Nov. 18 visit to revive political dialogue with Israel.
- The U.S. effort is described as an attempt to “thaw the ice” after the Gaza war and rebuild channels that existed before Oct. 7, according to the Saudi source.
- Two Gulf sources told Reuters that Riyadh has conveyed its unchanged stance to Washington, making progress toward a Palestinian state a prerequisite and making a deal during the visit unlikely.
- Talks in Washington are expected to cover regional security, economic cooperation, and the possibility of widening Arab engagement with Israel.
- Reuters reports the meeting is expected to seal a scaled‑back U.S.–Saudi defense pact modeled on an executive arrangement, expanding military and tech cooperation, speeding arms sales, and adding safeguards on China ties.